We Are Back!
by SanJohn
Summary: Five years later the team returns to NYC. Can Egon deal with his hatred of Peter before they battle Vigo? Is Egon's feelings of betrayal holding him back from his one true love?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Doctor Spengler."

Egon stopped in the doorway to the room and looked at his assistant walking towards him.

"Yes, Connie?"

Connie was a short, dark haired young girl of Chinese descent, that worked with him at the university.

"There is a phone message for you. I placed it on your desk." she said, as she picked up a clipboard from off of the desk nearby.

"Thank you. I'll look at it at lunch time. Are the test subjects here yet?" Egon asked, as he removed his overcoat and stepped into the room.

"No, Doctor Spengler, not yet. I really do think you should take care of the message now though. The caller sounded upset."

Egon placed his coat over his left arm as he looked behind him at the clock on the wall. It was eight-fifty. The first set of test subjects were to arrive at nine o'clock so he did have a few minutes to see what the message was about.

"Fine Connie, I will go and see what is so important, if you could set up the cameras for me please."

"Yes, Doctor Spengler." Connie said, and turned to walk towards the back of the room.

Egon turned around and left the room. As he disappeared down the hallway he wondered who had called. Egon came to his office door and stopped. In the frosty glass were the words:

Psychology Department

Doctor E. Spengler

A smile came to his face as he opened the door. He was back home again. Coming full circle from when he had first started college and had stood on the outside of such a door as a freshman, knowing that one day he would have such an office.

Egon turned on the lights and walked inside closing the door behind him. As he crossed to his desk he flung his overcoat onto a chair nearby.

Pulling his wheeled chair out from under the desk, Egon sat down into the tall black armed chair and picked up the pink note that was on his desk.

Connie's neat handwriting was on it. It was a message pad where you filled in the parts. Who for, caller, date, number, etc. It read:

For: Doctor E. Spengler

Date: December 4th, 1989

Telephoned, please call back, & urgent were marked with X's, and in the subject line was:

A Ms. Dana Barrett called.

Wants to see you right away.

Her child was taken from her by an unseen entity.

There was also a phone number listed as Egon placed the note back on his desk. Dana. He hadn't heard from her in what was it? Four? No, five years? Her child? When was she pregnant? Was the child's Peter's? No. Peter would have mentioned it to him. Or would he? They really were not talking to each other as of late.

Egon leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. Five years of unpleasant memories because of what had happened with Dana. Dana had been their first customer when Ray, Peter, and him had gone into business for themselves. They had to as Peter had single handedly gotten the group kicked off of campus. Egon grabbed the pink note and crumpled it up in anger. How he had hated Peter for that. Realizing what he was doing, Egon opened his eyes and smoothed out the note.

He had come to see that is wasn't all Peter's fault. Ray and him had been so busy conducting experiments and looking into ghostly activities that they had both left Peter to run the university end by himself. Left to his own demise, Peter had sweet-talked his way into trouble, not only for himself but for Ray and Egon too.

Egon sighed. That was now all water under the bridge until they had blown the top three floors off of an uptown New York high-rise while battling Gozer the Gozerian and the Stay Puff Marshmellow Man that Ray had conjured up in his mind.

Having saved the city the group thought that they were heroes until Walter Peck had showed up and sued the "Ghostbusters" business for damages to the city. Mr. Peck had gotten others to join him in his campaign.

Egon remembered standing in the court room next to Ray, Peter, and Winston as the judge handed down his verdict. A verdict that had caused the group to loose everything. The business, the firehouse, and even Ray's house that his parents had left him. Anything under the "Ghostbusters" franchise.

Each member of the team was fined five thousand dollars and had a restraining order placed upon them so that they couldn't offer their services as paranormal investigators and eliminators anymore. With a broken heart and no where to go, Egon had packed up what few belongings of his that hadn't been destroyed in the containment unit blast and had gone home.

Home, that wasn't home. He had grown up in Cleveland, Ohio and that is where he had gone back to. His mother and Uncle Cyrus had been only too happy to have Egon back in their lives, but he wasn't happy. He missed the university, the Metropolitan Opera, and Ray. However there wasn't anything he could do about it until his debt was paid to the city of New York. So Egon had set himself to work for his Uncle Cyrus in "Spengler Laborites" until his debt had been paid. Four and a half years of feeding rats and running them through mazes finally had its toll upon Egon. Egon was tired. Tired of only listening to his beloved opera on the radio or his records. He needed to hear it in person. He wanted to be there in the audience to enjoy its richness. He was tired of being told by his Uncle Cyrus that his experiments that he tried to run were a waste of time. So one fine summer day he had packed a bag, kissed his mother and bid his Uncle goodbye and had boarded the local greyhound bus to take him back to New York City.

Before Egon left he had called Ray, whom he had kept in touch with, and let him know that he was coming.

"Egon, that's good news!" Ray had said over the phone to him. "How long are you planning to visit?"

"I was planning on staying if I can find work." Egon replied.

"Great!" Ray retorted. "You can stay with me until you do. Why don't you try the university when you get into town? I hear that they have a position opening in the psychology department."

"What about Dean Yager?"

"Him? Oh, he's out! Got himself fired I heard. You should at least try for it."

Ten long hours later Egon had arrived back in the city. Ray had met him in Ecto-1 at Port Authority on 8th and 42nd street.

"So you were able to keep the car?" Egon asked, as Ray drove them to his occult shop.

"Yes. It wasn't under the franchise name, also the proton packs and traps too."

"Well that's a good thing. I can just see Mr. Peck fiddling with the packs and blowing up half the state of New York."

"And you know who they would blame again?" Ray responded.

"Us!" they said together.

Dana Barrett. Yep she was the start of it all and now she was back in Egon's life. A life that had taken a turn for the worse and then he had come home again.

Egon picked up the receiver of the telephone on his desk and dialed the number written on the message. After three rings he was greeted to a cheery voice.

"Hola!"

"Buenos dias, habla Doctor Spengler. Me puede comunicar con la senora Barrett?" Egon asked speaking Spanish.

"Si, espere un momento." the person replied.

"Gracias." Egon told the female voice.

On the other end of the line Egon could hear a cello being played in the background. He knew the song. It was David Popper's 'Spinning Song' and Dana was having problems with it from what he could hear. The music stopped and footsteps were heard. Soon Egon recognized the voice on the other end.

"Hello. Egon?"

"Yes, Dana it's me." Egon said switching back to English. "Still playing your cello I hear."

"Oh yes, just a bit rusty though. I had to take some time off to take care of my newborn baby. Thanks for calling me back. I need to speak to you in person. Do you have anytime today?"

Egon looked at his calendar that sat on his desk. "I can see you after lunch. Is two p.m. good for you?"

"Yes. I'll be there." Dana replied. "Where do I need to go?"

"Come to the building marked 'The Institute for Advanced Theoretical Research'. I'm in room 116." Egon told her.

"Thank you. Bye."

"Goodbye, Dana."

Egon hung up the phone and got up from his chair. Smiling to himself Egon remembered when he had first heard the 'Spinning Song'. It was on a Saturday afternoon. He had gotten tickets for the NY Philharmonics. The cellist was a graduate of Juilliard and he had played the piece flawlessly.

Egon loved classical music, but opera was by far his favorite. Egon crossed to his office door and opened it. He stood in the doorway for a moment remembering back to when he had first met her. She had given him reason to go on living. Her voice had drawn him in, captivating him. His opera singer.

Egon turned out the lights and shut the door to his office. As he walked down the hall he reminded himself that he would soon see her perform. Tomorrow night was the Metropolitan Opera's performance of "La Boheme". In January, Egon had gotten season tickets to the 'Met'. It was a Christmas gift from his mother. That was where he had met her. Eden Parnell.

His mother's tickets were four rows back from the stage, in the orchestra seats, right in the middle of the row. Very expensive tickets he knew. Egon had gone to the performance of "Carmen" where he expected to hear Renee Fleming singing the role of Carmen that night. When he had arrived the role had been given to the understudy as Ms. Fleming was out sick that day. Disappointed at not being able to hear her sing, he had almost left, but giving it a second thought he stayed. He loved the opera and even though he couldn't hear his favorite coloratura soprano he would just have to give the new person a chance. You didn't get to sing at the 'Met' unless you were good Egon knew. Boy was Egon glad that he had stayed.

Egon opened the door to room 116 and walked inside. He could see that Connie was finishing setting up the cameras for each of the experiments that they were going to run that day.

"Good. Thanks Connie. I'll finish up." Egon said, as he moved towards the back of the room. Two rooms, side by side, each with a one-way mirror were at the back of the room.

"As you wish Doctor Spengler. Were you able to take care of the message?" Connie asked, as she busied herself with another task.

"Yes. Ms. Dana Barrett will be here at two. We should be done by then." Egon replied, making sure that the camera's were working.

"Very good. I need to check that the microphones are working, if you could excuse me Doctor Spengler." Connie said, walking away.

Egon watched her go. He knew that Connie liked him a lot more than she should. Connie wanted more than a teacher/student relationship but Egon would have none of it. He wasn't going to jeopardize his position with the university after all the hard work he had put into it.

When Egon had gotten into town he had stayed with Ray for the first two weeks. Egon thought that Ray had his own apartment, but what Ray had was the attic of his store that he had converted into a bedroom. Ray, like him, was struggling to pay off his debt to the city too. It was all Ray could do to keep the occult store open and making money. Egon knew how he felt. Two betrayed, hated, lonely souls looking for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Egon had gone to the university to apply for the job. Not only was Dean Yager not there but there was a new president as well. One who didn't know what Egon had done to be removed from campus. The president didn't ask and so Egon didn't tell him. Egon had gotten the job as an assistant like Connie was to him now. After getting the job Egon had found himself a studio apartment close to campus. He paid Ray for his two weeks that he had stayed with him, even though Ray had said he didn't need too. After six months Egon had been promoted. Now he could run any experiment he wanted to, provided the head of the psychology department approved of it first.

Here is where Egon was happy. Ray and him had come up with a lot of theories that they were never able to finish testing when they were "Ghostbusters". Now he could. Egon presented his theories to the department head and they had approved them. That was what was on the schedule for today.

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. Looking up at the clock above the door it read nine. "Time to go to work." Egon said to himself as he crossed the room to answer the door and greet the first test subjects of the day.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Ghostbusters II is owned by Columbia Pictures an written by Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd. I am only borrowing the parts that I need for my story.

Chapter 2

Egon was back in his office, eating his lunch. Music was playing in the background from his record player. It was music from the opera "Turandot". As he dug into his container with his chopsticks for the last piece of chicken, he sighed. The test subjects were not what he had expected that morning so they had broke for lunch early.

The first couple that was brought in with their two small boys were to be divided into two groups. The adults were to go through the negative calibration experiment, while the boys were to go into the happiness index. Egon had not figured on the experiment backfiring on him. The young boys had been only too eager to go in with all the toys when Connie had showed them the room. Their mother and father had agreed to let the boys play alone while they went next door.

Egon dropped his chopsticks into the container. He then took the white box and placed it into the trashcan on the right hand side of his desk. As he picked up an apple from his desk he remembered back to what had happened with the couples young sons.

The boys had played nicely at first but then they had started fighting over the toys. After taking a toy that the other boy wanted from his brother, the boy who had the toy that was stolen, retaliated. Grabbing the toy back, he hit his brother over the head with it. Then everything had gone down hill from there. After the toys were thrown at each other, the brothers had started punching each other. Egon and Connie had gone in to break it up and each had gotten hurt in the process.

Egon had one of the boys next to him on his left side trying to keep him from punching his brother, while Connie had the other one. The boy had grabbed Egon's jacket's arm trying to get around him and pulled down hard ripping the sleeve off. As Egon looked at his torn jacket, he lost track of the boy. Egon heard Connie screaming behind him. Egon whipped around to see the two boys kicking and punching Connie. Instinctively, he grabbed Connie and pulled her to him, turning his back to the boys, so that she was protected. Egon walked Connie backwards towards the door as the boys went after him instead. Opening the door, Egon got Connie out of the room.

Egon's other students called the campus police when they saw the fight break out. As Egon exited the room with Connie the police went in. Soon the boys were calmed down and the police escorted them and their parents off campus.

As Egon shifted in his chair he knew he had gotten the blunt of the boys punches and kicks. Connie had one bruise on her calf while Egon's lower back was going to be black and blue later that night. Finishing his apple Egon tenderly got up from his chair.

"Ouch!" Egon hissed through clenched teeth.

"That's going to need some ice later." Egon thought as he tossed the apple core into the trashcan and crossed to the record player turning it off. Going to his office door Egon instinctively went to grab his jacket from the coat rack where he always placed it. Egon's hand stopped halfway there. Dropping his hand Egon opened the door, turned out the lights, and closed the door. He would have to find someone to fix his jacket later. What he was wearing would have to do. Egon had on a grey vest over his white shirt. He didn't like to be without his jacket but he had no choice. Walking down the hall to room 116 Egon opened the door.

"Connie." he called, as he crossed the threshold and shut the door.

"Over here, Doctor Spengler." was her reply.

Egon looked around the room to find Connie seated on a desk with a male Korean student holding ice to her calf.

"How are you holding up?" he asked, crossing to the desk.

"I'll be fine, but if you don't mind Doctor Spengler, I'd rather not go into the rooms this afternoon." she told him.

"I completely understand." Egon said, rubbing the small of his back.

"Would you be able to help me this afternoon Chung-Hee?" Egon asked the male student.

"Yes, Doctor Spengler. I will be happy to help out."

"Good, that's settled." he said.

Egon was interrupted by a knock on the door. Egon looked up at the clock to see it was 11:30 a.m. The next test group was here.

"Do you mind helping them Chung-Hee?" Egon asked.

"Not a problem, I've got it." he said, as he handed Connie the ice and went to answer the door.

As Chung-Hee went to the door Egon helped Connie down from the desk.

"I should ask how you are doing Doctor Spengler." Connie said, as she picked up her headphones and placed them on her head.

Egon smiled at her. "Same as you. Sorry about this morning. I hadn't figured on those boys fighting." he told her.

"It's not your fault." Connie said, adjusting her headset and picking up her clipboard. "Sometimes experiments go wrong. At least we didn't blow up the lab."

Connie turned away from Egon. Egon had to laugh as she walked away. Yes sometimes experiments went wrong as Connie put it, but they didn't destroy anything…yet.

Two and a half hours later Dana Barrett knocked at the door to room 116. Egon answered it and invited her in. Egon explained that he had an experiment running and hoped she would be able to talk to him while he finished it up. Dana had agreed, and followed Egon around the room telling her tale of baby Oscar's wild buggy ride. Egon was studying a paper read out as she finished up.

"Did anyone else see this happen?" he asked her.

"Sure, hundreds of people." Dana paused. "Egon, I didn't make this up!"

Egon sensed that Dana was upset at him so he tried a different approach.

"I'm not saying that you did." he replied. "It's just that in science we always look for the simplest explanations." Egon released the paper he was studying.

Connie came up to him. "Excuse me Ms. Barrett, but we're ready Doctor Spengler." Connie told him.

"Good. We'll start with the negative calibration test first." Egon told Connie as he picked up a black box about the size of a Sony Watchman. It had both digital and graphic displays on the machine.

Egon took the device over to a large picture window that looked into a small waiting room. Inside was a young couple that was having a heated argument. Egon could see them yelling and raising their hands at each other, but there was no sound coming from the window.

"Egon, what are you working on?" Dana asked moving closer.

Egon turned on the device and pointed it towards the couple as he answered Dana's question.

"I'm trying to determine whether human emotional states have an effect on the environment. It's a theory that Ray and I had when we were 'Ghostbusters'".

"Can they see us?"

"No, this is a two-way mirror Dana. They think they are here for marriage counseling. We've kept them waiting for two and a half hours and I've been gradually increasing the temperature in the room."

Egon looked up from his meter to a heat sensor and continued.

"It's up to 95 degrees at the moment. Now my assistant is going to ask them if they mind waiting another half-hour."

Egon watched as Chung-Hee entered the room and told the couple about the delay.

"So, Egon what do you think?" Dana asked him, clearly shaken by the scene before her. It was just too close to home for her.

"Excellent!" Egon stated, thinking Dana was talking about his work, as the couple exploded with anger at the news that Chung-Hee had given them.

Egon crossed to a clipboard where he recorded his readings and then turned to Connie.

"Good. Connie we'll do the happiness index next."

"Egon!" Dana repeated herself, clearly getting upset.

Egon turned to look at Dana. Why was she upset at him?

"I'd like to bring Ray in on this if I could." Egon told her going over to a camera set up to look into another room. Inside was the couples young girl with the same array of toys that the boys that morning had fought over.

"That's fine, whatever you think, but not Peter." Dana pleaded.

"Oh no, not Peter." Egon replied going over to a bank of computers on the wall. Egon wasn't talking to Peter anyways.

"Do you ever see him?" Dana asked Egon as she turned her back on him. The arguing couple and mentioning Peter's name was upsetting her and she didn't want to show that emotion to Egon just now.

"Occasionally." Egon stated, checking some reading on the computers.

"How is he these days?" Dana asked trying to sound casual, her back still towards Egon.

"Peter?" Egon asked. "Well he was borderline for a while, then he crossed the border."

Egon finished checking the computers and looked down at the device he held in his hands. It was giving off a low level reading.

"Does he ever mention me?" Dana spoke softly trying to hide her emotions.

"No." Egon said pointing the device at her.

Yes it was Dana that Egon was getting the readings from and she was upset over something. It had to be Peter. That's when Egon got the strongest readings, when Dana had mentioned his name.

Dana sighed. So Peter hadn't cared. Dana turned towards Egon starting to explain.

"Well, we didn't part on very good terms and then we sort of lost track of each other when I got married."

Connie interrupted her again. "I'm sorry but Doctor Spengler we're ready for the affection part of the test."

"Thanks Connie. Send in the puppy."

Egon walked over to the window and squatted down in front of it. "Oh that hurt." Egon thought to himself. Dana followed behind him continuing where she had left off.

"I thought of calling him after my marriage ended but…" Dana trailed off as a tear slid from her eye. Egon and Dana watched the little girl as one of Egon's assistants entered the room with a puppy. Handing the young girl the puppy Dana was taken back to when Oscar was born and placed into her arms.

"Oh that's nice." she whispered. Wiping the tear from her eye Dana turned towards Egon eager to change the subject.

"I appreciate you doing this for me." she told Egon.

Egon was absorbed in his readings and hadn't seen her tears.

"Try not to worry about it Dana." Egon told her standing up. His back was hurting him. He needed to get some ice for it soon.

Dana followed suit digging into her purse for a piece of paper. She was ready to go before she broke down and cried in front of Egon.

Handing Egon the paper she replied, "Here is my address and number. You will call me please?"

"Certainly Dana." Egon told her as he took the paper from her.

"Please don't mention any of this to Peter if you don't mind." Dana pleaded again.

"No, of course not."

"Thank you." Dana said kissing Egon on the cheek before walking away from him.

As Dana walked away she couldn't help but feel upset over what she had seen today. As Dana reached the door and placed her hand upon the knob to turn it she stopped. Dana turned around to see Egon talking to his assistant Connie. Dana couldn't leave, she had to tell Egon what was on her mind.

"Egon."

Egon looked up from talking to Connie to see Dana still there.

"Yes, Dana is there something else you need?"

"A private word with you please?"

Dana wasn't going to be able to hold back her tears anymore. Egon excused himself and walked over to her. Egon saw that Dana was visibly shaking.

"Connie, could you please take over for a moment?" Egon said, as he placed the device he was holding onto the desk nearby. "Dana we can talk in my office." Egon opened the door and let Dana go first.

As Dana exited the room the past five years of her life came flooding back to her. Egon closed the door and lead the way down the hall as she followed. A life Dana had wanted to forget but couldn't and now she was all to familiar with the pain that came flooding back into her heart.

Egon opened the door to his office and turned on the lights. As Dana entered Egon asked her to have a seat. Closing the door Egon went around to his chair and sat gingerly down into it.

Dana saw that Egon was in pain and narrowed her eyes at him.

"What's the matter Dana?" Egon questioned her, as he sat upright in his chair not wanting to put pressure on his lower back.

Dana swallowed. "It's about your first experiment I saw."

"Yes, what about it?"

"What are you planning to do after your experiment is done?"

"We were going to let the couple and their daughter go home."

"What? Without any counseling at all?"

"Yes, why?"

"Egon." Dana pointed her finger at him. "Put yourself into their shoes. Would you like it if you were promised something and then after waiting a long time were denied it?" Dana dropped her hand.

Egon looked at Dana. She had tears in the corners of her eyes. Why would Dana be upset over something that he was working on?

"You're not the same man I met five years ago. What happened to you Egon?"

The statement hit Egon full force. Yes, he wasn't the same man Dana had met five years ago. If truth be told, Egon was angry. Angry at everyone for what had happened to him. And Egon wasn't going to forgive very easily either.

"No, Dana," Egon started to explain, "I'm not the same man you knew before. I got sued by the state of New York for so much money that I didn't have, and to top it all off the courts took away the one thing I loved to do!"

Dana could see that Egon was mad because his cheeks were starting to turn red. Dana knew what Egon was going through. Everyone on the floor of her old apartment building had to move after Egon, Ray, Peter, and Winston had destroyed it. Dana had gotten the blunt of it. Name calling, cursing, even objects thrown at her. When Peter had been with her he had tried to protect her but he couldn't be there all the time.

"Egon, I know what you are going through." Dana replied softly. "Don't for one minute think that you are alone in this. You need to get over your anger and look beyond your own personal boundaries."

"Dana" Egon interrupted her. "I feel helpless and I don't like that. I can't control the world around me but . . ." Egon pointed his left hand towards his office door. "this I can control."

"At what price? Egon I have had my heart broken twice in these five years we haven't seen each other. I feel like your test subjects in there!" Dana yelled at him.

So that's what Dana was upset about. Egon thought to himself.

"Why?" Egon asked instead.

"Because . . ." Dana broke off crying. Wiping away her tears she started again. "Because I see myself in there. The problems in my marriage that needed to be worked out and the constant yelling. Egon, even though I couldn't hear them, don't think for a moment that I don't know what they are saying. Being told I'm no good. Why can't I be more like him? How did I let myself get pregnant with a child? A child we can't afford right now. What about his career? How can he be saddened down with a child? I had better get an abortion or he was going to leave me. I couldn't kill my baby…"

Dana trailed off and broke down in tears. Hiding her face in her hands to avoid looking Egon in the face.

Shocked Egon sat there for a moment. It was worse than being slapped in the face but her words were just as powerful. How could Egon have not seen that he wasn't alone in this ordeal? Slowly he rose up and went around his desk. Kneeling down by Dana's side he held the crying woman in his arms. Dana accepted Egon's arms around her and placed her head on his shoulder. Wrapping her arms around Egon's waist Dana could feel him tense up. Something was wrong with Egon. Maybe he never had a woman touch him before now.

"Egon isn't there anyone that you loved so much that it broke your heart when they left?" Dana asked hoping to get through to Egon what she was going through herself.

Egon thought about this. There was only one person in Egon's life that he had loved, but that person had never returned his love and now he was gone.

"Yes, Dana." Egon told her not wanting to dig into his past.

Dana pulled away from him but still kept her arms around Egon's waist. Dana could see his face had pain etched into it. Egon was hiding something.

"Anyone now?" Dana asked.

Egon thought about that statement. Did he love Eden? They liked each other and spent as much time together as their schedules would allow. "Ouch". The pain in Egon's back was killing him. Egon released his hold on Dana and stood up. Egon didn't want Dana to see his discomfort.

As Egon stood up Dana could see that she had hit a nerve with him. Dana waited while Egon stood up stiffly.

"Maybe." was all Egon said as he turned away from her.

Dana knew the conversation was over between the two of them.

"Do me one favor please?"

"What?" Egon said through clenched teeth. He needed some aspirin now.

"Remember what I said. Put yourself and the person that you love in that little room and see how you feel."

Dana stood up. She was going to get nowhere now that Egon wasn't talking to her. That much she had learned from her time with Peter. Dana sighed. Peter. He was her love that she had lost. Dana crossed to the door of Egon's office. Egon's back was towards her now.

"Egon try to put things right before you send that couple home. If it doesn't work out between them then at least it's not on your conscience." Dana said as she left the room.

Egon sat down on the side of his desk. Dana was right. Egon wanted to be mad at her for causing all this to happen to him, but he couldn't. Egon needed to talk to someone about what had happened today, but he knew it wasn't going to be Ray or Peter.

Carefully reaching across his desk Egon picked up the receiver of his phone. Dialing the number by heart Egon waited for her to answer. On the fourth ring he was greeted to a female voice.

"Hello?"

It was Eden's roommate Helen. She played the harp.

"Helen, it's Egon Spengler. Is Miss Parnell there?" he asked.

"Yes, hold on."

Egon could hear singing in the background. It was Eden. He knew that voice. An angels voice. The singing was getting louder now until Egon heard it clearly in the receiver. The voice greeted him that he wanted to hear.

"Egon?"

"Eden. Can I come over tonight? We need to talk." Egon tried to sound casual but his voice was shaking.

"Egon?" Eden heard the troubled tone of his voice. Eden knew him only too well. Something was upsetting him. "What's wrong? I can talk now if you need me."

"No. I can't come now. I need to finish up here at work before I can come over. Is six fine with you?" Egon had to do what Dana asked of him before he could face her again.

"Egon, darling, I'm here for you always. Come when you are done."

"Thanks Eden. Bye." Egon hung up the phone. This was not going to be easy.

"I think that the universe just waits for me to get cocky." Egon said aloud as he got up from his desk to go and set things right in his little world.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Egon walked up the stairs to Eden's residence and rang the bell. The intercom crackled on.

"Yes?" came a static voice.

"It's Egon Spengler." he announced to the speaker.

"Come on up. I'll buzz you in." replied the voice.

The barred gate buzzed loudly as Egon took the handle and pulled the gate towards him. Closing the gate behind him, Egon walked to the double glass doors and pulled the right hand side opened. Eden lived on the fourth floor with three other roommates. They all worked at the 'Met' in one way or another. Some even had two jobs to cover the cost of the apartment and expenses.

Egon walked down the tiled hall to the elevators. Eden had told him that sometimes the elevators didn't work and that she would have to haul groceries up four flights of stairs. It looked like today was going to be one of those days. The elevators had a sign hung across them. "Out of Order" it read. Egon would have to use the stairs.

Egon turned to his right and opened the door marked stairs. As Egon stood on the bottom stair, his right hand on the railing, he knew this wasn't going to be easy. Egon's back was killing him. Slowly and carefully Egon took the steps one at a time. Each upward movement causing Egon's lower back to flair up. Egon got as far as the third floor before he had to stop on the landing and rest. It had taken him five minutes to get this far.

Holding onto the railing and looking up the last flight of stairs to the fourth floor Egon knew he couldn't make it. Even if he went to touch his back to rub it the pain was bad. Egon heard a door open above him.

"Egon?" he heard a worried voice calling from above him.

"Eden. I'm here on the third floor." he replied.

"Well, what's keeping you darling?" Eden replied hanging her head over the railing above him.

"Oh, just out of breath." he lied to her, unable to look up.

Eden saw his body posture and knew he was hurt.

"Stay there, I'll be right back." she told him.

Eden opened the stairwell door and ran back to her apartment. Grace would know what to do. She was a nurse by day and played the viola at night at the 'Met'. Eden opened the door to the apartment.

"Grace. I need your help now!" Eden called inside.

The music that Eden heard from behind Grace's bedroom door stopped. Grace opened her door, viola in one hand, bow in the other.

"What's wrong Eden?" Grace said as she stepped out of the bedroom.

"It's Egon. He's hurt."

Grace placed her viola and bow down on the end table next to her bedroom door as she called to Helen.

"Helen. Eden needs our help. Doctor Spengler is hurt." Grace called down the hallway.

Helen's harp music stopped as Helen opened her door and came out to the living room.

"Lead the way 'Little Duck'." Grace said as Helen followed.

Eden turned around and left the apartment, running for the stairs. Opening the door she took them two at a time down to the third floor. There Egon stood head hung down, hunched over, hanging onto the railing for dear life. Eden heard the others on the stairs behind her. Eden stopped before Egon.

"Egon, what's wrong?" Eden asked gently taking his face into her hands and turning it upwards to look at her.

Grace was by her side now.

"Doctor Spengler, where are you hurt?" Grace asked as she took his left hand to feel for a pulse.

"My lower back." Egon said through clenched teeth.

Grace released Egon's hand and stepped down to the landing. Gently raising Egon's overcoat up above his head she called for Helen to join her.

"Helen, hold this out of the way please." Grace said handing the bottom of Egon's overcoat to her.

Grace carefully raised Egon's shirt up out of his suit pants. Grace could hear Egon breath in sharply. She was hurting him but Grace had to see what the problem was. Egon's back was blackish-blue in color.

"Did someone hit you?" Grace asked as she lowered Egon's shirt.

"Yes. This morning." Egon replied taking his left hand and placing it onto Eden's shoulder. The pain was unbearable.

"Getting worse as the day went along?" Grace asked taking the end of Egon's overcoat from Helen and putting it back down.

"Yes." Egon told Grace.

Grace knew that it was going to take all three of them to get Egon up the stairs and into a bed. Egon was in bad shape and they had ten more stairs to go. "O.K. Grace, you can do this. One step at a time." she told herself.

"Doctor Spengler, as much as I like visiting in the hallway, we need to get you to our apartment." Grace said coming around to stand next to Eden.

"I can't move. It hurts too much." Egon said.

Eden had released Egon's face to put her left hand on his right upper arm. Egon was still hanging onto Eden's right shoulder. Pain was written in his face.

"I know Doctor Spengler." Grace told him going to his left side. "We still have to try. Helen could you take Doctor Spengler's right side? Doctor Spengler we are going to support you so we can get you up the stairs."

Grace showed Helen what she was going to do and then explained the plan to Egon. On the count of three the group would move.

"Ready? One. Two. Three." Grace said.

Grace and Helen had their right and left arms wrapped around Egon's upper body under his arms. They lifted Egon's body up to relieve the pressure and Egon took one step up and stopped. Grace had said that they were going to do this one step at a time.

"Okay, that's one." Grace told the group. "Ready for two?"

"Yes." Egon replied.

"Okay. Count of three again. Ready? One. Two. Three." Grace said.

Grace and Helen again lifted Egon up as he took another step up and stopped. Eden carefully walked backwards up the stairs in front of Egon in case he fell forward.

Slowly one step at a time the group reached the half-way landing. Grace and Helen released Egon's upper body. Here on the flat surface Egon was able to walk. Now Egon stood facing the last five steps to the fourth floor. It was Mount Everest to Egon.

"Same as before Doctor Spengler. Ready?" Grace asked Egon.

"I guess so." he replied.

"On the count of three. Ready? One. Two. Three." Grace said.

Like before Grace and Helen lifted Egon as he took the steps one at a time to the landing above them. Standing on the landing Egon was relieved. Then his face fell. How was he going to get down?

"I hope the elevators are fixed by the time I have to leave here." Egon told Eden.

"Why? Have a hot date?" Eden teased him.

Helen held the stairwell door open while the group went through to the hallway. Grace went ahead to open their apartment door.

"Doctor Spengler when did this happen?" Grace asked him putting her key into the lock.

"Early this morning at 10:30." Egon told her slowly walking up the hallway leaning on Eden for support.

"Did you get any ice on it right away?" Grace asked opening the door.

"No. I didn't get a chance. I had an experiment that I needed to get started." Egon had reached the apartment door.

Eden helped Egon through the door as Grace and Helen came last.

"I'm going to get some ice Eden. Why don't I meet you in your bedroom. Doctor Spengler you need to lie down." Grace told them.

"Thanks Grace. Helen." Eden said as she helped Egon down the hallway towards her room.

"Anytime 'Little Duck'." Grace said leaving the pair to go to the kitchen.

"Eden, I've still got practicing to do. Excuse me." Helen said as she left them.

Eden stopped in front of her bedroom door and opened it. Egon had been here many times before but now the room was rearranged. On the back wall between the windows was an upright piano. Eden's bed had been there before. Now her bed was to his left and pushed up against the wall sideways. The room wasn't very large and contained a bed, dresser, desk with a chair, closet and now a piano. Eden helped Egon over to her bed. Egon carefully sat down on the foot of the bed.

"Where did the piano come from?" Egon asked. He could hear Helen's harp music now.

"Do you like it? It's an early Christmas gift from my Aunt Beth. She is moving into an assisted living place and couldn't take it with her, so she sent it to me."

"Nice of your Aunt Beth to do that, but doesn't she live across the country?"

"Yes, in Nevada."

"I bet it cost a fortune to ship it here. Why didn't your aunt just sell it?"

"It's the family piano. This Cable Nelsen has a lot of good memories attached to it. She couldn't sell it."

"I understand."

A knock at the door interrupted the pair. Grace was standing in the open doorway.

"Ice as promised." Grace said holding up a blue bag with a white top. "Doctor Spengler let's try to get your overcoat and vest off. I'd like for you to take your shirt and pants off too, but I know you aren't going to let me do that are you?"

"No." Egon replied.

"Egon. I'm in the theater business. Grace works as a nurse during the day. We have seen a lot more things than a pair of underwear." Eden told him.

"No!" Egon replied again.

Grace looked at Eden and rolled her eyes as she said, "He's your boyfriend. No wonder I don't hear the furniture moving around early in the morning. No more than twenty minutes with the ice then take it off for a while."

Grace handed Eden the ice bag and closed the door on them.

Eden set the bag of ice down onto the floor as she helped Egon off with his overcoat.

"Egon, darling what's bothering you? And I know it's not what Grace said to you just now."

Egon's overcoat was now off and he held onto Eden's shoulder as he carefully stood up to slide the overcoat out from under him. Setting back down he handed the coat to Eden. Now Egon heard viola music along with the harp music being played. Eden's apartment was always full of music.

"No it's not about what Grace said, although we should talk about that someday."

As Eden took Egon's overcoat she knew where that road lead. Eden had gone down it with Egon too many times. The couple had met in the last part of January of this year. After Eden's premiere performance of "Carmen" at the 'Met', Eden had been greeted to a street full of people when she had left the theater for the night. Everyone was wanting her autograph and to give her praises for her performance that night. Eden had seen Egon out of the corner of her eye and had noticed him following her as she signed programs trying to make her way to the subway station. Egon had never pushed his way in to see her and had never shouted at her either.

When the crowd had left Eden had gone up to him. Egon had seemed scared to her. Maybe he didn't know how to ask her for an autograph. Eden noticed that he looked a little bit older than her and was wearing a black tuxedo and had on round glasses. Egon hadn't come off as a business man to her though.

"Would you like my autograph?" Eden had asked him holding out her hands to the program he had clenched to his chest. "I've seen you following me."

"Oh. No!" he had replied. "I just wanted to say what a wonderful job you did."

"Well, thank you." Eden told him a little disappointed and started to walk away from him.

"No!" he had replied, reaching out to take Eden's arm to stop her. Egon had released her arm when he saw the panicked look in her eyes. "It's just that I haven't heard the opera in person in over five years. You have given me hope to go on living. Well done Miss Eden Parnell."

Egon had then bent over and kissed her on her cheek and had left her standing there shocked. As she watched him walk away she couldn't help but wonder who he was. He had remembered her full name. The others had only called her by her first name. This man was different somehow. Wanting nothing from her, only to praise her.

Now that same man sat before her on her bed. Eden watched as Egon unbuttoned his vest. Eden knew that was as far as he would go. She sighed and as she did Egon looked up at her.

"Eden?" he said. "You okay?"

"I'm fine. We've had this conversation before. You know what I want and I know why you don't, how shall I put this…want to move the furniture around."

"Borrowing a phrase from Grace?" Egon asked.

"Yes."

Egon took his vest off and handed it to Eden. Egon watched Eden as she crossed the room to place his clothing in her closet. Yes, they had had this talk before. In August Eden had sat Egon down and told him that she wanted more from their relationship. Thinking that he had done something wrong, Egon was surprised to find out that Eden had only wanted to take the next step, not that he had done something wrong. As much as Egon had wanted to go there he was not going to cause a scandal for Eden and ruin her singing career. Papers and tabloids could be cruel and Egon had told her so. Egon had placed his carnal feelings on the back burner and put Eden and her career first.

Eden had finished hanging Egon's clothes in her closet and was walking back to Egon. He would need help to take his shoes off she knew. Eden smiled at him. Egon was unlike any boyfriend that she had had. Yes, they had talked. Eden wanting more from Egon than he was willing to give right now because they were not married. Eden stopped short in front of Egon. That was it! Why hadn't she thought of that sooner? There was a way to get the man she loved and yes it wasn't a bad idea to be married to him either.

Egon saw that Eden had stopped short. Worried about her now he softly called her name. "Eden?"

"Oh, Egon! I'm sorry. I must have frightened you." Eden said, dropping to the ground on her knees in front of him. Untying Egon's shoes she continued, "It's just that I have a radical idea."

Egon remembered those words. He had spoken them to Ray on that day so long ago, but Eden didn't know about that part of his life. Egon had never told her.

"What is it?" Egon asked trying to hide his worried face from Eden.

Eden, finished untying Egon's shoes and took them off of his feet, before she raised her face towards him and took Egon's hands in hers.

"Egon, you know I love you, right?"

"Yes."

"Egon, you know I want more from our relationship than what we have now, right?"

Egon could see where this was going. It looked as if they were going to spend another night talking about things that were not going to happen. Egon had come here wanting to talk about what had happened with Dana not this.

"Eden, I…" he began before Eden cut him off.

"Egon! Don't you dare change the subject. I know you better than you know yourself. I know that you don't want to put me into a compromising position. I'm not asking that of you. Just answer me one question. Do you, Doctor Egon Spengler, love me?"

Shocked Egon looked down at her. Eden did know him better than he knew himself. That was why he had come here tonight.

"Eden, that's why I came here." Egon answered her.

"And your answer is?"

Egon looked away from Eden. He didn't want to hurt her feelings but he truly didn't know how he felt about her either.

Eden could see Egon's hesitation. Could it be that this scientist sitting before her didn't know about his own emotions? Egon dealt with facts and figures. Hardcore, hands on kind of things. Yes! That had to be it. Egon didn't know what he felt. A smile crept onto Eden's face.

"Egon. Did you come here tonight because you don't know how you feel about me?"

Egon looked back into Eden's face. A tear was in his eye. Eden did know him very well.

"I don't want to hurt your feelings Eden."

Eden nodded her head. "I'll be fine. Say what's in your heart."

"Eden," Egon sighed, "I don't know. I guess I should start at the beginning."

Eden nodded and helped Egon to lie down on her bed. Eden knew that it was going to be a long night and Egon could talk to her lying down with ice on his back as well as sitting up.

"Go ahead and start Egon. I'm going to grab the chair so I can sit next to you and hold the ice on your back."

"Well, it has to do with a woman called Dana Barrett that I met five years ago."

"I know her. Ms. Barrett played the cello for the NY Philharmonics." Eden said as she pulled her desk chair across the room to set it by the bedside.

"Boy Egon you sure are dense." he silently told himself. Of course Eden would of known who Dana was. The theater was a small world unto itself. As Egon laid face down on Eden's bed he could feel her placing the bag of ice onto his back. Eden continued talking.

"There were rumors going around the theater that Dana had been possessed by a demon or something along those lines. Some group called 'Ghostbusters' had taken, called, I don't know the correct term, the demon out of her. I for one don't believe in ghosts, demons, or the occult and didn't put much truth into the rumors. They were just being mean to Dana. She married the principal violin player Mr. Andre Wallance after that. Last I saw her was in March. Dana was extremely pregnant at that time. I guess she gave birth to her baby. I haven't seen her or Mr. Wallance since."

"Yes, that's who I want to talk about Eden. Do you know what I did before the university?"

"No. You told me you came here from Ohio. I just figured you got transferred or something."

"Not transferred. I came from Ohio to go to school at Columbia when I was fifteen. I've been here ever since then, until 1984 when I went back to Ohio for four and a half years. Then I moved back to New York City."

"You started college at fifteen?" Eden was surprised. Eden knew that Egon was way smarter than she was. Eden didn't know that he had started college so young. What else was Egon hiding?

"Yes. My father was a scientist. He was a very bright man. I finished High School at fourteen. SAT's and ACT's scores of 2400 and 36. Top ratings. I was looking at Harvard, Yale, and Columbia. They all wanted me until they saw how young I was. Columbia was the only one to take a chance on me. I was considered a child prodigy."

Eden took her right hand to tenderly rub Egon's shoulders.

"Go on." she urged.

"While I was at Columbia my roommate that I was given my Sophomore year was Peter Venkman. Peter was 18 and I was just turning 17 in November. Peter considered me the younger smarter brother. When we graduated I met Raymond Stantz. Ray for short. All of us worked for Columbia until one day Peter got us kicked off campus."

"How did Peter do that?"

Egon heaved a sigh and placed his right arm over his eyes. Egon didn't want Eden to see him like this. "Ray and I had left the university end of our work to Peter. The Columbia Board of Regents had called a meeting of our groups activities. Ray and I were busy with experiments and so Peter said he would go instead.

Eden knew what was coming next. "Peter messed up, didn't he?" she asked Egon.

"Oh big time! Dean Yager told us that our grant had been terminated due to our shoddy and highly suspect findings, research, and methods."

"But that doesn't sound like you Egon." Eden told him trying to see his face under his arm.

"It's not. It was all Peter's work that he signed our names to."

Egon felt a tear in the corner of his eye. Hastily he blinked it away. How he hated Peter that day for what he had done to him and Ray.

Eden felt that Egon had tensed up under her touch. This wasn't easy for him to talk to her about. Eden took her right hand from off of Egon's shoulders to place it upon his arm that covered his face. Gently pulling it away Eden saw Egon with tears in his eyes. Eden had never seen Egon cry before. Eden's heart went out to this wonderful man she loved dearly. Eden released her hold on his arm and the ice bag on his back. Pushing her chair back and kneeling onto the floor Eden took Egon's upper body into her arms.

"Egon. I'm so sorry for what has happened to you."

Egon hadn't wanted this. He didn't want Eden to see him vulnerable this way. Egon was supposed to be the one to protect Eden not the other way around. Egon tried to pull away from Eden and sit up but she would have none of it.

"Egon I don't care if you cry in front of me. It only shows that you are human and have feelings like everyone else. I love you no matter what you have done." Eden released her hold on Egon.

Egon took his right hand to cup it upon Eden's face, looking her in the eyes before he spoke again.

"After I tell you what I am about to say you may not."

Eden took her left hand to place it upon Egon's hand on her face. She nodded for him to continue.

"Ray and I had been studying the occult and running experiments while at Columbia. We had a good chance of actually catching a ghost and holding it indefinitely. Peter caught onto our plans when we got kicked off of campus. We went into business for ourselves as the world's first firm for paranormal investigations and eliminators. 'Ghostbusters' was our franchisee.

Eden was shocked. This news stunned her to her soul. She hadn't expected this.

"Egon. I don't believe it. You, a Ghostbuster? Never in a million years would I believe this could come from you." Eden released Egon's hand and stood up walking away from him. She didn't believe a word of it. Ghosts? No, he had to be making this up.

Egon sat up, the ice bag falling onto the floor as he did so. He had hurt her and that was something he didn't want to do.

"I'm sorry Eden but every word is true. Even my own father couldn't believe it either. His name was Edison and he didn't speak to me again until his death later that same year. I sat by his side as he took his last breath. I loved him with all my heart and do you know what his words were to me before he died Eden?"

Eden had been pacing the room. The "Ghostbusters" were like an urban legend around here. Eden had only come to the city in 1988 and had never seen them in person. Eden stopped pacing and turned towards Egon.

"No, Egon. What did your father say to you before he passed on."

"That he was disappointed in me…" Egon trailed off. This was a sore subject for him.

"Disappointed in you? How could any father be disappointed in their own offspring?" Eden asked walking back to stand in front of Egon.

"My father didn't approve of the friends that I kept for one thing."

Eden sat down on the bed next to Egon. Eden listened as Egon told her about what had happened in his past.

Egon told Eden how he had met Dana Barrett as their first customer. Dana had seen an otherworldly temple and a doglike creature that growled the word "Zuul" in her refrigerator. While working on her case and the other calls that the team was getting, Egon's mother had called him to come home. Edison was dying and she had wanted Egon to come home to say his goodbyes. Edison had hated the fact that his only son had gone off on some half brained scheme and wasn't teaching at the university. Egon should be a Professor by now he had told him. Disappointed at Egon, Edison never said another word to him until he died.

Egon had been brokenhearted. He loved his father, but his father had never returned that love to him. After the funeral Egon had come back to find that Dana's case was becoming real. Egon told Eden how he had attacked a man named Walter Peck getting the whole team arrested. Sitting in jail, Ray and Egon discovered that Dana's building was meant to be a gateway to allow a Sumerian god named Gozer into their world. Battling Gozer, the team ran out of ideas. Egon suggested that the team cross the proton pack's streams in an effort to close the gateway to Gozer's world. Egon knew this would probably mean their own deaths in the process, but he also knew it was the right thing to do. Maybe he could be with his father again. Miraculously the "Ghostbusters" survived only to be sued by Walter Peck and others for damages to the city.

Eden watched Egon's face. Egon truly believed what he was saying was the truth. How could she? Egon had never lied to her the whole time they had known each other.

Egon continued to tell Eden how he had moved back home to work for his Uncle Cyrus. Eden knew that Egon had come back to NYC and worked at the university now. Egon then told Eden how Dana had called and had visited him that day while he was running his experiments. Egon told Eden what his experiments were about and how Dana had called him on it. Egon paused.

"Eden, that's why I came here tonight." Egon said taking her hands in his.

Eden swallowed and nodded her head. Dana had put the very question to Egon that she wanted to know the answer to too.

"Egon." Eden began. "Whatever happens to us, whether you love me or not, know this one thing. You, Egon Spengler, are the love of my life. I cherish our time together. I know you better than you know yourself right now. I won't tell you what to do. Look into your heart, past the hatred and betrayal of those that you loved in the past. Egon you have built up a wall around you to keep from getting hurt again. Please let me help you take that wall down so that you can love again, even if you discover that it isn't me that you want in your life."

"Eden, I…" Egon started to say turning his face from her, but Eden cut him off.

"Egon. It's okay. I'm fine with whatever you decide. I will always be here. As your friend or as your bride."

Egon turned to face Eden now. So that was her radical idea. Eden wanted him and if it meant she was to be married to him then so be it. Egon nodded his head. He needed time to think. Eden knew it too.

"Take some time, as much as you need. I'm here for you whenever you need to talk. Remember this, I love you." Eden said.

"Thank you for listening to me Eden. It really means a great deal to me."

Eden smiled at Egon and kissed him on his cheek. They would get through this together, one way or another. Eden and Egon would either be very good friends or they would be husband and wife in the end. The latter Eden liked very much.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Ghostbusters II is owned by Columbia Pictures an written by Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd. I am only borrowing the parts that I need for my story.

Chapter 4

Umbrella in hand, Egon walked through the rain in Greenwich Village, New York. He was headed for "Ray's Occult". December and it was raining. Egon thought it was odd weather for this time of year. Something was up. The city was probably due for a blizzard soon.

That morning Egon had walked across the familiar campus quad to drop his jacket off at the Dodge Miller Theater. Professor Williams had assured Egon that one of his theater students in the costume department would fix it for him before lunch. Egon then walked back to his office in the Schermerhorn building. When Egon reached his office he had called Ray on the phone. It had been early, seven o'clock, but Egon knew the store hours only too well from living there with Ray.

"Hello, Ray's Occult." Ray's voice came over the receiver a little sleepy sounding.

"Sorry to wake you Ray." Egon stifled a yawn.

"Egon, you know I'm up early, but you sound like you're still asleep."

"I had a late night Ray."

"Experiment run over?"

"No, I was with Eden." Egon paused. Should he tell Ray about his problem. Egon shook his head. No, this was something he had to work out for himself.

"Oh!" Ray sounded happy. "Good for you! About time too, if you ask me."

Egon was embarrassed. Now Ray thought the thing that Egon had been trying to avoid. Egon needed to stop the rumor right away before it got back to Eden or the papers.

"Ray no! It's not what you think. I spent the night talking to Eden about us being Ghostbusters."

"Oh." Ray sounded downtrodden.

"Anyways, Ray" Egon said changing the subject quickly, "can I come over? I need your help with a case that came across my desk yesterday."

"Ghosts?" Ray whispered into the phone thinking that someone might overhear him.

"Yep."

"Good. I have time at three p.m. See you then."

Egon hung up the phone and went to work. He had tried to get involved in the experiments that he and his students were running but his heart just wasn't in it. Not since yesterday when he had spent three hours talking to the arguing couple about their marriage problems. Egon had Dana to thank for that. When she had pointed out to Egon what he was doing was wrong and had told him to fix the problem, Egon just couldn't find a way around it anymore. After lunch Egon had called it a day and sent his students home early. Picking up his jacket from the Dodge Miller Theater Egon had caught the subway to Greenwich Village.

A car came by splashing a puddle of water up onto the sidewalk where Egon was walking. Egon wasn't quick enough to get out of the way as the water hit him on the lower part of his pants, soaking him from his knees down. "Just Great!" Egon thought. Now he was cold, wet, and his back was still sore. Egon hoped that Ray had an extra pair of pants. Turning the corner, Egon walked the familiar block to Ray's store.

Egon stopped before a small shop. The window was crowded with occult artifacts and old books full of arcane metaphysical lore. Egon opened the door and walked inside. The bells on the door jingling as the door moved. Closing the door Egon shook the rainwater from his umbrella and closed it, placing it in the umbrella stand to his right. He called to the empty room.

"Ray, it's me Egon."

Footsteps could be heard in the back of the shop. Ray's feet soon appeared to Egon's right coming down the stairs from the loft that Ray had built.

"Glad you made it Egon."

"Well most of me." Egon replied stepping into the shop and removing his overcoat, he hung it on the coat rack near the counter.

Ray had made it down the stairs and was walking towards Egon when he stopped.

"Wow! What nailed you?" Ray said pointing to Egon's dripping pants and the water collecting on the floor.

"Overzealous car. Do you have a change of clothes?"

"Sure. Help yourself. You know where everything is."

"Thanks Ray." Egon said going to the stairs and starting to climb them.

"Toss the pants down and I will take them next door to the cleaners."

"Why don't you use the dryer in the basement?" Egon asked.

"Are they suit pants?" Ray replied.

"Yes."

"Then they will get ruined. Trust me. I'll take them next door."

Egon reached the loft. Ray hadn't changed anything. A small kitchenette stood to his left. It contained a stove, range, and a small refrigerator/freezer next to it. Cupboards were above this. Ray's full size bed was against the back wall and a closet was to Egon's right. Crossing to the closet Egon walked by the round table with two chairs. He saw that parts and pieces of a ghost trap lay spread out with tools nearby. Ray was keeping the equipment up even if they weren't allowed to use it. Egon smiled. He had plans for a bigger containment unit on the table in his studio apartment. Egon knew that he had more room in his place than what Ray had here, but then again he could afford it. Egon was drawing a paycheck from the university, Ray was not. Ray was working for himself.

Egon opened the closet door to look through it. Finding a pair of pants that Ray hadn't had hemmed yet, Egon changed. They were a bit big around the waist but digging through an old milk-crate at the bottom of the closet Egon soon found a belt.

"So." Ray's voice came up to him. "What did you need to see me about?"

"Dana stopped by to see me yesterday Ray."

"Dana Barrett?"

"Yep, the one and only."

"How did that go?" Ray questioned.

"Not too well." Egon said as he closed the closet, grabbed his wet pants, turned towards the stairs, and started down them. "She has a baby now Ray. Oscar is his name. On Sunday afternoon the carriage that he was in rolled down the street and into an intersection. The carriage came to a dead stop right before a city bus came down the road."

Egon came to a stop before Ray.

"No kidding!" Ray said as he took Egon's wet pants. "Start pulling the books on psychokinesis. I'll be right back."

"Thanks, Ray."

As Ray left the store Egon went over to the jammed packed bookshelves. Ray had a little bit of everything. Alchemy, astrology, apparitions, demon intercession, Egon read as he went down the row of books. Modern miracles, golden geese, pixie sightings. Nope. Egon had gone to far. Backing up Egon looked up towards the ceiling to see if the books that he wanted were there. Books on UFO's were there. "Well if not up, how about down." Egon told himself. Looking below the UFO shelf was psychic surgery. Getting closer. Egon bent down carefully, because of his back, to the shelves underneath psychic surgery. Psychokenesis. Jack Pot!

As Egon starting pulling books from the shelves Ray returned. Egon was cold and Ray didn't have the heat on in the store. When it came to paying for lights or heat Ray would always take the light bill and pay it first. Books didn't need heat and Ray could put on a sweater if he got cold. Egon knew how Ray felt.

"Ray, you should really let me help you pay part of your heating bill or move in with me." Egon said hauling an armful of books over to the counter. Ray could see that Egon was shaking from the cold.

"No, Egon, you have your own problems. I still have roughly a thousand dollars left to pay the city back then things will be looking up. Here let me make you some herbal tea."

Ray went behind the counter and took a cup and saucer from underneath. Placing a pot full of water onto a hot plate Ray turned the hot plate on and picked up a box of teabags.

"Pick your poison." Ray told him waving the box in front of Egon.

"Peppermint."

"Egon, you really need to expand your taste buds away from the sweet department."

Ray pulled the desired bag from the box and placed it into the cup on the counter while Egon searched through the stack of books he had brought over. When the water was boiling Ray filled the cup and handed it to his friend.

"Thanks, Ray." Egon said taking the tea, absorbed in a book.

An hour later found both men still at it. Ray had taken a break and had gone back to the cleaners to retrieve Egon's suit pants. Egon had changed back into them and replaced Ray's ones that he had borrowed back on the hanger in the closet. Ray had been interrupted by customers a couple of times while they were searching through the books. If Ray had found anything of interest that was written in Latin he had given it to Egon to translate. Ray's Latin was rusty, having not been able to use it for five years.

Egon had his back to the door when the bells chimed the arrival of another customer. An all to familiar voice announced his presence.

"Oh, hello, perhaps you could help me."

Egon turned to find Peter Venkman waltzing into his sight. Just what he needed now. Egon hadn't seen Peter in over four and a half years. When Egon had come back to the city, Ray had called Peter up and they had all gone out for dinner that night. Egon had said very little to Peter since then. Egon was still holding a grudge against Peter for what had happened. Egon had forgotten that Peter and Ray were also friends, if you could call it that. Peter had a way of making Ray do whatever he wanted.

"Peter!" Ray called a greeting to him.

"Hi, Ray." Peter called back. Seeing Egon he walked up to him. "Hey, Egon! How's school? I bet those science chicks really dig that big cranium of yours." Peter smiled at him.

Egon wasn't going to give Peter the satisfaction. A sly smile came to Egon's lips as he answered Peter's question.

"I think they're more interested in my epididymis." Egon retorted.

Ray, sitting on a barstool behind the counter, wearing a pair of reading glasses and thumbing through an arcane text while he sipped his coffee was caught off guard. Ray had just taken a sip of coffee when Egon had told Peter what the students thought of his brain. Ray had tried laughing and had snorted coffee all over the counter and the book he was reading. Coughing Ray took the book off of his lap and set his coffee down on the counter. Ray knew what an epididymis was but it was Peter's face that was priceless. Peter didn't know what or for a better word where that was.

"You okay Ray?" Egon asked coming away from the bookshelf to cross to the counter where Ray was.

"Fine." Ray said changing the subject. "Egon, did you pull the Duke University mean averaging studies?"

"Yes." Egon went to the corner of the counter to look through a pile of books he had left there.

"Hey, Ray." Peter continued, shaking his head at Egon. "Why don't you lock up and buy me that sub like you promised last week?"

"Uh, I can't Peter. I'm kind of working on a project right now." Ray grabbed a paper towel to dry the coffee off of the pages of the book on the counter, "But your book came in."

Ray hoped that would draw Peter's attention away from what he and Egon were doing. Reaching behind him to a shelf Ray grabbed the thick brown hard copy book. "Magical Paths to Fortune and Power." Ray told Peter handing him the book.

Egon had retrieved the book that he wanted and opening it to the chapter he was looking for he walked towards Peter and Ray.

Snorting Egon said. "Yea, good luck with that Peter." Egon then handed Ray the open book. Pointing to a passage Egon continued. "Ray look at this one."

"Egon it's in Latin and I'm rusty."

"It states that a flower cart took off by itself and rolled over level ground."

Peter watching the two men spoke next. "So what are your two brainiac's working on?"

"Oh," Ray started to say as Egon cleared his throat. Ray looked up from the book to see Egon shaking his head and mouthing the word no. Egon hadn't told Ray that Dana didn't want Peter in on this case. Egon also didn't figure on Peter walking through the door that afternoon either. Ray caught the motion and changed directions.

"Oh, well Peter we are just checking something out for a friend."

"Cool." Peter said taking a seat on the barstool on the other side of the counter across from Ray.

Egon walked away from the pair to the back of the shop. He was kicking himself for not letting Ray know about Dana's trust in him. Egon had promised Dana that he would not tell Peter what was happening in her life. Peter also had a way of getting things out of Ray. "Don't tell him Ray." Egon silently pleaded to himself. While at the university Peter had gotten Ray into all kinds of trouble. All because Peter could inflict pain by pulling Ray's ears up. Egon heard Ray cry out in pain and turned around to see that Peter was doing the same thing that he had done before back at the university.

"Peter! Knock it off!" Egon yelled at him.

It was to no avail, as Ray spoke the two words that Egon had wanted to remain silent.

"Dana Barrett!"

It was now 5:30 p.m. and Peter had left half an hour ago. After Ray had spoken Dana's name Peter had demanded that he know what was going on with his girlfriend. "That was a laugh." Egon thought as he helped Ray put the books back that the pair had pulled earlier. Peter hadn't seen, talked to, or been with Dana for years and now Peter was concerned about her wellbeing. Peter had even set up a meeting with Dana tomorrow although he got Ray to call her on the phone.

"Peter means well you know Egon." Ray told him filing a book back onto the shelf.

"I don't think so. It's the university all over again." Egon sat down onto the barstool where Peter had been sitting before. Egon's back was starting to bother him again and he still had "La Boheme" to get through tonight.

Ray turned to face his friend. "You're still mad at him, aren't you?"

"Yes, Ray. We could still be at the university if it hadn't been for Peter." Egon sighed. "I blame myself for letting Peter have 'free rein' of the university work. I should have known better but was caught up in the experiments that you and I were doing."

"Me too, Egon." Ray said crossing to the counter. "But I forgave Peter. I had to. It seems to me that you need to do the same thing or you are going to end up like me."

"Forgive Peter? How can you do that? Look at what he has done to you Ray. You live in your store, have no money in the bank, can't pay the bills to keep the heat on, and still you call him a friend!"

Egon was angry. Standing up he started pacing the floor.

"Yes, Egon. I forgave Peter because I had to before I ended up like you are now." Ray said.

"Me! What's wrong with me!" Egon shouted at Ray.

Ray sighed. "Egon." he said quietly, "Look at yourself. Your anger has eaten away at your soul. I know how you feel. Betrayed, used, unwanted. It eats away at your inner self making you change into something else. I hated Peter too for the longest time. After the hating came the depression. I didn't want to do anything or to go anywhere. Then came…" Ray trailed off.

Egon stopped pacing and looked at Ray. Yes, he had felt those same feelings also. Egon had felt depression too. That was one of the reasons that he had left Ohio. Egon thought that the change of scenery would do him good, only it hadn't. The feeling of depression had worsened until it had become thoughts of suicide. So strong that on the night that Egon was to hear Renee Fleming sing he had figured out how he was going to end it all. That was when he had stayed to hear Eden sing. She had saved him. Did Ray also have the same suicidal thoughts?

"Ray, were you contemplating on ending your life?" Egon whispered to his friend.

"Yes." Ray mouthed the word, unable to speak it.

"What stopped you?" Egon quietly spoke.

"My sister. What stopped you Egon?" Ray's voice was shaking.

"Eden." Egon reverently said the word.

Ray nodded his head towards Egon as he sat down on the barstool now. Ray had come so close to the "other side". If it hadn't been for Ray's sister dropping by that day he wouldn't be sitting here now. Ray sighed. Egon came over to stand by the bookshelf in front of Ray.

"Ray I'm sorry." Egon said. "I really should have realized that you were going through the same thing as me."

"Egon have you talked to anyone about what you are going through?"

"Just Eden."

"Trust me Egon you should go see someone, a professional I mean. Eden's great to talk to, don't get me wrong, but she can't help you mentally."

Egon was concerned about Ray. This was something that neither of them had talked about until now. Egon knew what Ray was trying to get at. Counseling. Egon didn't think that would set well with him. After all he had a doctorate degree in psychology. Ray must have known what Egon was thinking because he interrupted Egon's train of thought.

"Egon, I didn't believe that seeing a professional would help me. My sister had me checked into a hospital when she found me sitting at the kitchen table with a bunch of prescription pills. I spent two months in the hospital and another year and a half in counseling, but you know what? It helped. I feel that I am in control of my life and not the other way around."

Egon did feel helpless and not in control of his life. "How did you overcome the feeling of helplessness?" Egon asked Ray.

"First I had to forgive Peter. I found that he was the root of all my problems. Then I took back control of my life. There are times, like today, when outside forces make my life seem in chaos, but I try to focus on the positive things, like seeing Dana's baby tomorrow. Have you ever thought about having your own child Egon? I have. I wish I had a girlfriend like you do. I envy you and Eden. I just wish you would ask Eden to marry you already and make me an uncle. I know how you feel about Eden and the scandals that the press can write. I'm pretty sure that is why you two haven't done anything yet. So what's the hold up with asking her to marry you?"

Shocked Egon stared at Ray. Was he really that transparent? Swallowing Egon said, "Ray I don't know if I love Eden or not. That's why."

"Love her? Are you kidding me? You can't feel that?"

"No."

Ray sat silently for a moment. It could be that Egon's hatred of Peter was foremost in Egon's head and heart. Until he released that anger Egon wasn't going anywhere. Ray nodded his head.

"After we visit Dana tomorrow you are coming with me." Ray told him.

"Where?"

"I'm not telling you. Otherwise you are going to back out on me. Now you had better get going or you're going to be late getting uptown to the Metropolitan Opera. It's the opening performance of La Boheme tonight right? See you tomorrow."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Egon had made his way back to his studio apartment where he had changed into his tuxedo. After catching the #1 subway downtown to Broadway and 66th Street, Egon stood facing the Metropolitan Opera House. Part of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the theater opened in 1966. It replaced the former Metropolitan Opera House at Broadway and 39th street and was the current home of the Metropolitan Opera Company. Designed by architect Wallace K. Harrison, the Opera House had seating for 3,800 people with an additional 195 standing spaces in the rear of the main floor and top balcony. The building was clad in white travertine and the east facade was graced with a distinctive series of five arches.

Egon went through the doors and into the lobby. On display and visible to the outside plaza were two murals created for the space by Marc Chagall. Approximately thirty feet by thirty-six feet the murals were entitled "The Triumph of Music" and "The Sources of Music" and were estimated to be around $20 million in value. Suspended in the lobby were eleven crystal chandeliers resembling constellations or starbursts. In front of Egon was a cantilevered stairway that connected the main level with the lower level lounge and upper floors. Egon's seat was on the main level so he didn't need to go up the stairs thank goodness. He shivered remembering Eden's apartment the night before. Luckily for him the elevators had been fixed by the time Egon had left her place.

Waiting in line at the auditorium door Egon could see that the inside of the auditorium was fan-shaped and decorated in gold and white with five levels above the orchestra. Handing the usher his ticket Egon walked down the aisle to his seat. The auditorium contained twenty-one matching chandeliers that would be raised to the ceiling prior to the performance so as not to obstruct the view of the audience in the upper levels.

Egon sat in his usually seat, four rows back, in the middle of the orchestra row. The square gold proscenium was 54 feet wide and 54 feet high. The main curtain of custom-woven gold damask was the largest tab curtain in the world. Above the proscenium was an untitled bronze sculpture by Mary Callery. The orchestra was coming in and warming up Egon could see. Soon "La Boheme" would start and he would be able to see his angel sing.

Egon thought back to the conversation he had with Ray that afternoon. Egon had known Ray for seven years now ever since Peter had introduced them at the university. Peter. Ray was right, Peter was the root of all problems. Both his and Ray's. But Ray was happy. Not a dime to his name and happy, upbeat, full of life, everything Egon wanted in his life. Was it really that easy? Forgive Peter, then everything would turn out fine.

When the team had parted ways five years ago tempers were high. Egon had thrown some choice words Peter's way leaving the firehouse that night. Ray had tried to stop him but Egon wanted to put as much distance between him and Peter as possible. He liked Ray a lot. Ray was like a brother to Egon. Egon had even dared to call him a best friend. Peter on the other hand was always using him to get what he wanted out of life. Egon, not being a social 'people person', hadn't given it a second thought until Winston had come along. Winston had pulled Egon aside one day and asked him why he let Peter 'walk all over him'. That had been the eye opener for Egon. It had been towards the end of their run as "Ghostbusters" too. When Egon started to see what Peter was really doing to him he had begun to hate him. The hatred had grown over the five years that the team was apart. Now Egon's anger at Peter was ready to explode. It had been all Egon could do to keep his cool at Ray's shop when Peter had shown up. How was he going to be able to handle it at Dana's apartment tomorrow?

The audience clapping brought Egon out of his thoughts. The opera was starting. The conductor bowed to the audience and then turned back to the orchestra. Picking up his baton he counted out the tempo and gave the down beat. The orchestra started playing the overture. "La Boheme" was an opera in four acts by Giacomo Puccini set to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. Based on a work by Henri Muger the opera focused on the relationship between Rodolfo and Mimi. The opera was set in Paris in the period around 1830. This was not a random setting, but rather it reflected the issues and concerns of a particular time and place. After the upheavals of revolution and war, French artists had lost their traditional support base of aristocracy and church and were desperate for new sources of income.

The curtain went up on the first act. The set was decorated to look like an attic where four 'bohemien' or gypsies lived. Rodolfo was a poet and in order for the 'bohemien's' to keep warm they were burning Rodolfo's manuscripts.

Egon watched the actors on the stage. Even though there was an individual screen on the back of the seat in front of him called 'Met Titles' Egon didn't need to turn it on. 'Met Titles' were a custom designed system for simultaneous translation for all opera performances. The screens were polarized, so that they were not easily visible from either side, to minimize the intrusion on neighboring seats. The opera was being sung in Italian which Egon knew. As Egon watched the performance he was now drawing similarities between the opera and his life. This had never happened to him before. Centering on self-conscious youth at odds with the mainstream of society. Feeling that they themselves were morally superior to the rules of the bourgeois (specifically regarding sexual mores) and expressing their independence with affectations of speech and dress. Ray was Rodolfo, poor but happy. Peter was Marcello a young painter and Rodolfo's best friend He is in love with Musetta but the two are constantly fighting. Dana was Musetta, Marcello's old flame. When the knock on the door came onstage Egon almost missed it.

Egon turned his face to the right to see Eden standing there, unlit candle in her hand. Eden was playing Mimi, a innocent young seamstress, that lived in the same building as Rodolfo. Clothed in a beautiful blue long sleeve dress with a full skirt and petticoat, she was shyly asking Rodolfo if he would be able to light her candle as she had no matches.

Eden's beautiful clear soprano voice rang out through the hall. The Metropolitan Opera theater, while large, was noted for it's excellent acoustics. Sometimes Eden wasn't given a 'mike' at all, tonight being one of those nights. Egon knew that Eden was able to reach the back of the house with her voice, without the need of a microphone. Eden's voice wasn't forced like other opera singers that Egon had heard. Eden's voice was classically trained and able to use vibrato or straight tones when appropriate in the music. Her voice had captured him, drawing him into her, giving him reason to go on living that January night when he had wanted to end it all.

Eden, Mimi, was about to leave when she realized that she had left the key to her room somewhere in Rodolfo's place. Standing in the dark doorway, her candle flickers, then goes out as does Rodolfo's too. Left to stumble in the dark for Mimi's key Rodolfo wants to spend more time with her and pockets the key when he finds it, only to feign innocence when Mimi asks about it. In the dark they tell each other of their different backgrounds and sing of their newfound love. Although Mimi's story is simple it is clear that she is a gentle girl who loves life very deeply.

Egon had done the same thing to Eden the night before. He had sat there on her bed, well laid there actually, and had told her of his background. The only thing missing was the love song at the end of act one. This was starting to bother Egon and he thought of nothing else through Act II.

In the beginning of Act II Rodolfo buys Mimi a bonnet. As Egon watched Eden on stage he was reflecting on his own life with her. When did he ever buy Eden anything? Lunch and dinner didn't count he told himself. Egon thought back through their relationship. He hadn't bought Eden anything as a token of his friendship or love. There it was again. Love. Did he or didn't he love this woman before him now? This was tearing Egon up inside. The more he thought about it the more he would get angry with himself over it. Maybe Ray was right, he needed help. Towards the end of the act Egon could see that Eden was having problems with her costume as she had placed and kept her right hand on her skirt through the last part of the act.

As Act II came to a close, Egon got up from his seat for the intermission. Egon's back had started to hurt him again towards the end of the act and he didn't think he was going to be able to sit through the next two acts. Egon didn't want to leave as he always walked Eden home after her shows. Egon made his way up the aisle towards the front lobby. Maybe he could trade out his seat to stand in one of the standing room places. Entering the lobby he heard a voice call his name.

"Doctor Spengler! How are you tonight?"

The voice belonged to James Levine the Artistic Director of the Metropolitan Opera. "Enjoying tonight's performance?"

"Yes, immensely, but can I ask a favor of you?"

"Certainly." he replied, "What can I do for you?"

"I need to be able to trade my seat out with someone who is standing for the rest of the performance. Is there anyway I can do that?"

"What's wrong?" Mr. Levine questioned Egon.

"I hurt my back on Monday at work and it is still pretty sore."

"I'll do one better, follow me please."

Egon followed James Levine towards the right hallway that led back into the theater. As they made their way down towards the first row Egon wondered where they were going. Mr. Levine stopped before a door marked 'No Admittance' and opened it. Ushering Egon inside Mr. Levine closed the door behind them. They passed a security guard sitting just inside the door and climbed a set of stairs to another closed door. Egon knew they were somewhere near the stage but he had never been backstage before. Mr. Levine opened the door to reveal a busy open space. Yes, Egon had been right. They were backstage. Scenery was being changed as Egon and Mr. Levine made their way around the busy people. Egon turned around to walk backwards as he watched the stagehands doing their job.

Working in unison, the stagehands plucked out the pins that held the set together called 20-penny hinges, which looked like nails bent 90 degrees. Props, pieces of scenery, and netted curtains with paint called "scrim drops" went in any direction. Some were being hoisted up close to the ceiling, 120 feet off the ground. Other pieces were being lowered 35 feet to the basement, known as "sea level", all by a massive hydraulic lift in the center of the stage floor. The second story of the Parisian buildings from Act II were being slid onto a raised platform. To the left and right of the stage, bigger pieces were split into smaller parts and stowed. There was no master script to follow. It was organized chaos that was going on around Egon as the veteran stagehands led the other men. And when something went wrong, which was nearly inevitable, the stagehands improvised. Almost all the stagehands carried screwdrivers, hammers, and a pouch filled with 20-penny hinges. They looked like engineers and carpenters. Some had tattooed arms, gold crosses and wore T-shirts that read FDNY or IATSE Local 1. Some were whistling tunes from "Aida". It must come through by osmosis Egon thought.

Mr. Levine, calling Eden's name, made Egon turn around again.

Egon stopped in his tracks when he saw Eden. A stagehand who had expected him to keep moving almost nailed him with a wooden door he was carrying.

"Hey, watch it buddy! Make a hole." he told Egon.

"Excuse me?" Egon said as he turned his head in the stagehand's direction. Egon didn't know the theater term 'make a hole'.

"Move it!" the stagehand told him walking around Egon.

As Egon turned back to look at Eden he was shaking, but not from what the stagehand had said to him. It was from what he saw in front of him that bothered Egon the most. Eden wasn't kidding when she had told Egon that she saw a lot more things than a pair of underwear. There Eden stood with her back towards him. She was holding a cream colored petticoat while another person was running a ribbon through the waist. So that was Eden's mishap with her costume, the ribbon had broken. Egon saw two pieces on the ground to Eden's right.

Egon couldn't take his eyes off her. Eden had on only a thong and a bandeau bra. Egon had never seen Eden with her clothes off. Now he was memorized. Her firm round buttocks with a bird of paradise flower tattooed to her left cheek. Her small eccentric waist that traveled up her slender beautiful back. Eden's long brown hair was pulled up under a wig cap. This was a woman that he wanted. Egon shook his head. What was he thinking?

"Miss Parnell!" Mr. Levine tried again as Eden obviously didn't hear him the first time.

Eden heard Mr. Levine now and turned around to face him. When Eden saw Egon standing there she stopped, eyes wide open.

"Egon!" she said, bringing the petticoat up to cover her body, but not before Egon caught a glimpse of her breasts.

Egon reacted immediately. Taking his tuxedo jacket off, he crossed the last couple of steps to drape it over Eden's shoulders.

"Egon, I'm so sorry. I didn't realize you were here." Eden tried to explain pulling the coat closed with one hand.

Egon looked around him. It seemed that the only person who had a problem with this was him. Everyone else acted like it was business as usual.

"Miss Parnell," Mr. Levine said, "Doctor Spengler needs to stand for the rest of the performance because of his back. All the standing room places are taken tonight. I figured he could stand backstage out of the way. I'm sorry if I embarrassed you both."

"That's fine Mr. Levine. I'll take care of Doctor Spengler now. Thanks." Eden answered him.

Mr. Levine nodded his head and left them to go back to the lobby. When he was gone Eden spoke.

"Egon, I would never have been standing here if I knew you were coming. The petticoat I was wearing broke its string right before the end of act two. I usually change over there." Eden motioned her head to her left.

Egon looked to see the chorus girls changing into their costumes for the third act. The girls were wearing different types of underwear from briefs, hipsters, to thongs. Some wore bras while others did not. Egon looked back into Eden's face to avoid looking at the half naked women. This wasn't what he was use to on a daily basis. Egon was use to labs, beakers, test tubes and organization. Everything in its place. This mayhem was Eden's world. It definitely wasn't for him. Where Egon found being backstage upsetting, Eden found it a comfort.

Eden leaned in close to Egon's ear and whispered. "I know you didn't what to see me this way. I am truly sorry that you did. Please forgive me."

As Eden pulled back she took Egon's hand, the one holding his tuxedo jacket closed, and squeezed it smiling up at him. Before Egon could say anything to Eden, she spoke again.

"I'm going to go change Egon. Can you wait for me over there with Mr. Pavone please?"

Eden then called Mr. Pavone's name and he came over to her. Eden introduced Egon to Mr. Pavone who had been with the Metropolitan Opera since 1967. As Eden turned away from the pair to go change Mr. Pavone engaged Egon in conversation.

"So you're an opera lover? In the many years that I have been here I have heard hundreds of operas, some of them in three or four versions. Still, amid all the repetition are moments that stick out." he said.

"Like what?" Egon asked, as he followed Mr. Pavone out of the way of the stagehands.

"There was a time when Luciano Pavarotti and Placido Domingo took turns singing a part of a scene in 'Trovfatore' that really hit home to me and when Franco Corelli sang a perfect aria in the third act of 'Tosca'." he said. "When something like that happens, you get a chill up your spine. You know something good is happening then."

Egon nodded his head. Yes, he had that feeling when he had seen Eden for the first time singing the role of Carmen.

"I knew that Eden was going to be a success when I first heard her sing." Mr. Pavone continued. "She was always the first chorus member here and the last to leave. She learned everyone's part, including the basses, which she couldn't sing. I have never met another person in my lifetime that can sing three different parts beautifully."

Egon and Mr. Pavone came to the side of the stage and stopped before a door. Mr. Pavone opened the door and grabbed a hammer from off of the shelf and then closed the door. As Mr. Pavone crossed the stage Egon followed.

"I have to give the snow machine a little 'whats for'." he said, "It always gets itself stuck during Act III."

"Anyways, like I was saying, Eden started out in the chorus. The conductor Maestro Neeme Jarvi heard her sing two days before the chorus was to go on singing in Don Carlos. He pulled her aside and asked her to sing the part for 'A voice from Heaven'." Stopping, Mr. Pavone turned around to look at Egon. "Do you know the part that I am talking about?" he asked.

"Yes," Egon replied, stopping too. "It's in Act III, where in front of the Cathedral of Valladolid preparations are being made for a public parade and burning of the condemned heretics. While the people celebrate, the monks drag the condemned to the woodpile. When the King addresses the people, Don Carlos brings forward six Flemish deputies, who plead with the King for their country's freedom. The King arrests the deputies and Don Carlos draws his sword against the King. The King's guards will not attack Don Carlos, so the King promotes Posa to Duke, lights the woodpile and as the flames start to rise, a heavenly voice can be heard promising peace to the condemned souls."

"You sure do know your opera's! Yes, that is the part I am talking about." Mr. Pavone turned back around and started walking again, going between the curtains in the wings of the theater. Egon followed. "Well Maestro Jarvi pulled some strings and got Eden the part to sing. Even though she was never seen, the reviews were outstanding. 'A profound and beautiful voice.' 'Hypnotic, musical, and magic.' 'Truly an Angel's voice.' Eden was always waiting in the wings, singing to herself the parts that the others were singing. That is how she got to be a 'cover' singer here at the 'Met'."

Egon knew what a 'cover' singer was. They were the opera's equivalent of the Broadway's understudy, and like replacement artists in most forms of live performance, they are an essential but unseen part of the process. Without them, an incapacitated star can send a production scrambling.

"Well that 'Little Duck' sure got herself noticed in a big way."

"Little Duck?" Egon questioned Mr. Pavone. "I thought that was Grace's nickname for Eden?"

"Grace Simone? The viola player for the NY Philharmonics?" Mr. Pavone asked, narrowing his eyes at Egon.

"Yes." Egon replied. "When I am over at Eden's apartment Grace calls her that all the time. I just thought that was Grace's nickname for Eden because she is the youngest one living there."

"Oh, No. I gave her that name the second day I met Eden. She was like my kids, always following me around, wanting to learn everything. You know, like a baby duck following its mother."

"Yes, and I am still following you around to this day." Eden said.

Egon and Mr. Pavone turned to see that Eden had come up behind them as the pair had made their way offstage. Eden was dressed in a brown colored blouse and skirt with a white crochet shawl over her shoulders. A black wig pulled into a semi-ponytail with a white ribbon sat on her head. Eden had on the now fixed petticoat underneath it all. In her hands she held Egon's tuxedo jacket.

"Oh, Eden you are always going to be my 'Little Duck'." Mr. Pavone said. Taking her hand and pulling her around Egon, Mr. Pavone gave Eden a hug. "Break a leg dear." he said, as he kissed Eden on her forehead. "If you would excuse me, I have to go fight with a snow machine." Mr. Pavone said as he held up his hammer and left.

Eden chuckled as she watched him go. Mr. Pavone had been so good to her when she had first arrived at the 'Met' in January of '88. Coming from a small theater background Eden had never encountered anything on this grand of a scale. Just like her old theater, Eden had set out to learn everything about her new theater's surroundings that she could.

"Two minute warning." came a voice from the stage.

Eden took Egon's hand and led him to a spot near the back of the stage. From here Egon would be able to see her performance on stage and more importantly Egon would be out of everyone's way. While Eden was giving Egon back his jacket, the stage manager came over to stand next to Eden and Egon. Egon released Eden's hand to put his jacket back on, while Eden explained why Egon was there. The stage manager agreed to keep an eye on Egon so he wouldn't get into trouble.

Eden took Egon's hand back and gave it a squeeze, smiling at him. Egon smiled back. Sighing Eden was glad that Egon was with her tonight. She was psyching herself out for the next act and she knew where she needed to go. It was a part of her past where she had been hurt. It mirrored the life of Mimi and Rodolfo so closely that the two could be one and the same.

Mimi is slowly being consumed by a deadly illness and after a hard life with Rodolfo he abandons her.

Eden opened her mind to a time she wished she could forget. A time of being loved by a man until he had turned on her one night. Closing her eyes Eden remembered it all too well. The screaming. The back of a hand that had found her tender face. Being thrown into a wall to hit her head and slide down to the floor, semiconscious. Eden started to shake with the memory now.

"Places. Places everyone." a voice called.

Eden opened her eyes. She could feel a tear at the corner of one of her eyes but she wouldn't let it fall just yet. Eden would save it for the stage. Yes, she was glad Egon was here backstage tonight. He was her protector and he didn't even know it.

"Io t'amo." she said in Italian. Releasing Egon's hand she slipped away from him.

Egon had felt Eden shaking next to him and had figured she was cold until he had looked into her face. Eden's face was always beautiful and full of life. That was not the face that he saw now. Eden had her eyes closed and pain was etched into her brows. As Egon watched, Eden would shake or move her head to try and get away from something until she finally opened her eyes when she heard them call 'places'.

As Egon watched the opening of Act III he thought he could hear cursing above him. On stage was Paris at dawn on a snowy day near a tavern. Egon could see the snow falling and then stopping only to fall again. Looking up into the catwalks above his head Egon could see Mr. Pavone using his hammer to hit the snow machine to get it to work. Mr. Pavone would time his hammer swing with the brass or percussion of the orchestra parts. Egon had to smile, when something went wrong improvise, and to do it so that no one was the wiser was good too.

Egon could see Eden, Mimi, wandering onto the stage searching for the place where Marcello and Musetta now live. Finding Marcello, Mimi tells him of her distress over Rodolfo's incessant jealousy. She believes it is best that they part company when Rodolfo comes outside. Hiding nearby, Mimi overhears Rodolfo telling Marcello that the real reason he has abandoned Mimi is that her illness can only grow worse in the poverty that they live in.

Egon saw that Eden was crying now. Tears are streaming down both cheeks as she stumbles forward to bid her lover farewell. Marcello goes into the tavern when he hears Musetta's laughter. Mimi and Rodolfo recall past happiness while Musetta and Marcello part company, hurling insults at each other. Seeing this, Mimi and Rodolfo decide to remain together until spring. Shivers run down Egon's back as he listens to Eden sing. Mr. Pavone was right. Something wonderful was happening. Eden's voice was drawing him in again. There was nothing else that mattered in the world right now, but this moment in time. A lonely heartbroken girl, wanting her lover more than life itself. Not caring if they lived in poverty or not. Just to be near him was all that mattered.

As the last cord died in the theater, Egon could see the audience rising to their feet. This usually didn't happen until the end of the performance. Even before the curtain came down on the scene the audience could be heard shouting 'Bravo Eden' and 'Encore'. Eden was in Rodolfo's embrace at the end of the act and now she wouldn't let go. The actor who played Rodolfo gently shook Eden. Eden realized where she was and let go. Turning to go off stage Eden headed straight for the man she loved. Eden needed Egon right now. She needed him to hold her and make the pain in her life go away. Rushing now to Egon's side Eden buried her face into his shoulder, as Egon put his arms around her and stroked the back of her head.

"Green Room now!" Mr. Pavone shouted down at the stage manager, as he grabbed a nearby rope and slid down it much like a pirate would slide down the ropes on a ship.

The stage manager took a hold of Egon's arm and directed him towards the exit. The stage manager released his hold on Egon as they cleared the stage. Egon placed Eden on his left side and turned her face into his shoulder with his right hand. Mr. Pavone caught up with the trio as they stopped before a door. The stage manager opened the door and let Egon, Eden, and Mr. Pavone in. Mr. Pavone stood in the doorway of the room with the stage manager, as Egon led Eden over to a couch in the middle of the room. Mr. Pavone spoke to the stage manager in a low whisper and then closed the door. He then crossed the room to squat in front of Eden who was now sitting on the couch next to Egon, face buried in his shoulder.

"Eden?" Mr. Pavone called softly. "Are you okay?"

Egon knew that something was bothering Eden when she had fallen into his arms. When they had been together and Eden had cried, he had always comforted her by stroking the back of her head. After a couple of moments Eden would stop crying and thank him for being there for her. Now, however, Eden was still sobbing. This was a deep rooted pain that wasn't going away. Egon tried calling her name now.

"Eden?"

This got a response. Eden lifted her head off of Egon's shoulder and started to dry her eyes with the sleeve of her dress. "Oh, Egon. I'm so sorry." she stated between tears.

"Eden there is nothing to be sorry for. What's wrong." Egon asked her.

Eden looked up to see Mr. Pavone before her. Smiling, she reached out and took his hand. "Mr. Pavone." she said. "Thanks for getting me offstage so quickly."

"Anytime 'Little Duck', but you went too far this time." Mr. Pavone told Eden.

Egon furled his brow. Too far? What was Mr. Pavone talking about. Mr. Pavone saw the look on Egon's face and taking Eden's face into his hands he whispered to her.

"Haven't you told him yet?"

"No." was her reply.

"Eden what is going on?" Egon asked her.

Mr. Pavone nodded his head and released Eden's face. She would tell him in her own due time. This was personal. Rising up Mr. Pavone said to Egon.

"Eden will tell you when she is ready Doctor Spengler but know this, it is a part of her past that she wished hadn't happened to her. That is what she draws from each time she goes on stage for Act III and IV. It is very personal and only a few people know about it. You will be one someday and if I ever hear about it in the papers I will know it has come from you, if you catch my meaning."

"Eden I will see that you are not disturbed until you have to go onstage. I will bring your costume here to you so that you can change." Mr. Pavone walked to the door and stopped with his hand on the knob. Turning back he said, "Little Duck, you had me crying. Well done." Opening the door Mr. Pavone slipped through it and closed it on them.

Egon held Eden next to him as she composed herself for the next act. What had Eden been through that she couldn't bring herself to tell him about? It had to be something far worse than him being a "Ghostbuster". Even though they had met at the end of January, Egon and Eden hadn't really seriously dated each other until June. Even if Egon were to ask Eden to explain what was going on, he had a feeling that it would take more than the fifteen minutes that they had for intermission. This would have to wait until after the performance and even then Egon didn't know if Eden would tell him tonight or not. Here was another thing that Egon couldn't control in his life. Sighing Egon let his chin rest on the top of Eden's head. He knew that Eden loved him. She was always telling him so, but what was he doing about it? He just didn't know. Egon knew from his college psychology courses that love is inherently free. It cannot be bought, sold, or traded. He couldn't make someone love him, nor could he prevent it, for any amount of money. "What is love?" was one of the most difficult questions for mankind to answer.

Someone knocking at the door brought Egon out of his musing. Egon stood up leaving Eden on the couch to cross the room and answer the door. Mr. Pavone stood there with Eden's costume in his hands.

"How is Eden doing?" he asked, handing Egon the costume.

"Better." Eden called as she stood up from the couch. "Thank you."

"You have five minutes before they call places." Mr. Pavone told them. "I will be back when they call the two minute warning." he said and closed the door to the room.

Egon turned around and took Eden's costume to her. Handing the costume to her he said, "I had better leave Eden. I don't think I will be able to contain myself if I see you without your clothes again."

Eden smiled at Egon. So he did like what he saw. Maybe there was hope for her yet. "So Egon, son bella ancora?" she asked speaking Italian.

Egon smiled back. Eden had asked him "Am I still beautiful?" Quickly thinking about the opera he responded with Rodolfo's line, "Bella come un'aurora."

Laughing Eden took her right hand and placed it on the back of Egon's neck. Pulling him forward Eden kissed Egon full on his lips before she released him. "Lovely as a sunrise, huh. You are stealing Rodolfo's line."

"So I am." Egon said, bidding Eden farewell as he crossed the room once again to open the door. Before closing the door Egon turned back and spoke to Eden. "Break a leg 'Little Duck'." Egon then closed the door on her, giving Eden the privacy she needed.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Ghostbusters II is owned by Columbia Pictures an written by Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd. I am only borrowing the parts that I need for my story.

Chapter 6

Egon stood in the waiting room on the third floor of the John Jay Hall building on the Columbia campus. He was waiting to be seen by one of the medical doctors. Since Egon didn't have an appointment he was considered a "walk in" and "would be seen in order of severity of illness" the receptionist had told him, "which may result in a significant wait time."

Egon had told her that he was a teacher at the university and had classes that he had to get back to that afternoon but to no avail. She had informed him to wait like everyone else and had closed her glass window on him ending any hope of talking sense into her brain.

Egon's back was really bothering him and he had only come here because of his boss. Dean Williams, head of the psychology department, had stopped by at seven that morning to bring Egon the morning's paper. Seeing that the light was on, Dean Williams had knocked on Egon's office door before he opened it and let himself in.

"Doctor Spengler, have you seen the paper this morning?" he asked as he walked inside waving the paper that he was carrying at Egon.

Egon looked up from his desk where he was working. Egon was writing up his findings for the negative calibration testing that he and his students had done. Since Dana's visit on Monday Egon had been unable to put any more couples through the testing. It hadn't felt right to do so. His research team still did the happiness index testing though, but Egon had called a halt to the other testing. His students had been puzzled as to why, and Egon had explained that there was enough data now to write up their findings, which was true. The research team had two and a half months of test results that needed going through.

"No, I'm sorry Dean Williams. I've been here since 4 a.m. The paper wasn't out yet when I got here." Egon said as he set his pen down on the desk.

Dean Williams regarded Egon as he moved to sit in the chair across from Egon's desk. He noticed that Egon had brought a pillow to work and had it behind him now. A coffee cup sat on Egon's desk but it looked like Egon hadn't touched it.

"Doctor Spengler what is going on? I don't mind that you came to work early, but the pillow? Did you sleep here?"

"Oh, no." replied Egon, looking across his desk at Dean Williams. "Monday I hurt my lower back and it has been bothering me since."

"Have you taken anything for it?" questioned Dean Williams.

"Just aspirin, but it is really not helping." Egon said shifting in his chair. Sitting for long periods of time was making his back pain worse.

"Was this the incident with the twin boys that were fighting over the toys?" Dean Williams asked setting the paper he had brought with him on the corner of Egon's desk.

"Yes."

"Then you are just as stubborn as Connie. She didn't want to seek medical attention either. I made her go Tuesday afternoon and now I'm sending you as well. Go down to Urgent Medical Care and I'll mark it down under workman's compensation."

Egon had done as Dean Williams asked and now here he stood in the waiting room.

"Doctor Egon Spengler?" a medical student called from the doorway.

"Yes, that's me." Egon replied as he walked across the waiting room to follow the medical student through the door and down the hallway.

"What are you a doctor of?" the medical student asked.

Egon smiled. He had so many degrees which one should he pick today. "Psychology." he said. It was always his standard answer.

"Interesting." the medical student said stopping before an exam room and showing Egon inside. She continued, "What brings you here today Doctor Spengler?"

"I hurt my lower back on Monday," Egon said as he carefully sat in the chair in the exam room. Trying to get up on the exam table was going to be a problem.

"I see." said the medical student as she took Egon's vitals and wrote them down in his chart. When she was done she told Egon that she was going to go and let the resident know that he was here.

Columbia University Medical Center was a teaching hospital serving as a practical educational site for medical students, interns, residents, and allied health personnel. As such a resident or intern was 'shadowed' by a licensed medical doctor (M.D.) at all times. The M.D. was to be present during all critical and key portions of the procedure and immediately available to furnish services to the resident or intern if need be.

Egon hoped that his exam would be quick as he really wanted to get back to his paper that he was writing for the negative calibration testing. Egon wanted the paper done and turned in to Dean Williams by Monday. This way Egon could move onto another experiment that he and Ray had not been able to get to when they were 'Ghostbusters'.

A soft knock on the exam room door announced the arrival of the resident/intern and M.D.

"Good Morning, Doctor Spengler." the resident said as he entered the room. "How are you today Egon?"

"Been better Charlie. I see you graduated." Egon replied to the young man before him.

Charlie Levine had been a student in one of Egon's psychology classes when Egon was teaching at Columbia as a newly graduated Doctor of Psychology. Charlie had just been starting at Columbia and the two had become acquainted then. It was good to see a familiar face from long ago.

"Yes, just doing my senior residency here. I am also doing group therapy and working at Parkview Medical Hospital in the psychiatric ward on the weekends. Trying to get my student loan paid off."

Egon smiled. He knew what that was like.

"So," Charlie continued, "I hear you hurt your back."

"Yes," Egon said standing up slowly.

"Okay, let's take a look Egon." Charlie said, as he carefully turned Egon around so Egon's back was towards him. Charlie lifted Egon's jacket out of the way and carefully took Egon's shirt to pull it out of his suit pants. As Charlie did so Egon sucked in a breath. This was going to be bad Charlie knew.

"Egon can you describe the pain for me? Is it persistent or a deep aching pain that is worse when standing or sitting?"

"It hurts worse when I sit or try to sleep. More of a deep aching pain. Eden said it looks worse than when she saw it on Monday."

Charlie could see that Egon's lower back was a dark blue in color from one side of his waist to the other. The bruising went below Egon's pelvic bone, although Charlie couldn't see where it ended because he didn't want to hurt Egon anymore, to right above his lower ribs. When Charlie went to palpate it, Egon screamed in pain.

"Okay Egon, I'm done." Charlie said releasing Egon's shirt and jacket.

Charlie took a pen and prescription pad out of his lab coat. As Egon turned around to face him, carefully replacing his shirt, Charlie filled out the prescription and spoke to Egon.

"I'm sending you to St. Luke's Hospital Emergency Room, Egon. I want a radiograph of your lower back and a Magnetic Resonance Imaging Scan." (MRI)

Charlie ripped off the script and handed it to Egon.

"It didn't help your back that you got jostled around by that crowd last night at the 'Met' either," he continued.

"What are you thinking is wrong that I need a MRI?" Egon asked, taking the paper from Charlie.

"I just want to rule out a herniated disc or a compressed fracture of the lower lumbar vertebra. It should be getting better not worse."

"Thanks Charlie."

"Anytime. We will have to get together and have lunch sometime Egon."

"Deal." Egon said as he left the exam room.

St. Luke's Hospital was located on 113th Street and Amsterdam Avenue. All Egon had to do was cross the street outside of the John Jay Hall Building and walk down one block.

Yes, Charlie had been right. Last night hadn't helped his aching back. After Eden had dressed for the finale act of "La Boheme" Egon had again taken his spot next to the stage manager to watch Eden in her finale scene.

In Act IV Mimi is found in the streets of Paris weakened by her illness. Rodolfo's friends bring her back to him and then leave to buy Mimi some medicine. Eden was in her element, telling Rodolfo that she was pretending to sleep because she wanted to be left alone with him.

Eden's beautiful voice singing in Italian caught Egon that night as he listened to her tell Rodolfo. "I have so many thing I want to tell you or only one thing, but as huge as the ocean, deep and infinite as the sea…"

The next line that Eden sang sent shivers down Egon's spine because he knew that she was singing to him and him alone.

"Sei il mio amore e tutta la mia vita!" (You are my love and my whole life.)

As Mimi dies and Rodolfo is heart broken calling her name the curtains closed to a standing ovation. Egon felt that if he ever lost Eden that he would be heartbroken too and would likely blame himself for her death, just like Rodolfo was doing.

Egon opened the door to St. Luke's Hospital Emergency room and went to sign in with the nurse.

When Egon, Eden, Helen, Grace and Iris, Eden's other roommate, had left the 'Met' they had been greeted to a bigger than normal crowd, all wanting Eden's autograph and photo. Helen, Grace, and Iris had continued on back to their apartment while Egon had stayed with Eden as the press and fans all rallied around Eden trying to get an interview, photos, and autographs. Egon had gotten jostled around as people had crowned in upon them until both Eden and Egon had been backed up against the wall of the 'Met'. Finally security had arrived as Egon had Eden in his embrace with his back to the crowd protecting her much like he had done for Connie on Monday with the twin boys.

The crowd hadn't meant to be pushing on Egon but his back had become agitated so that after he had dropped Eden off at her apartment that night Egon had been unable to sleep when he got home. Tossing and turning Egon had given up, grabbed his pillow from his bed, changed out of his pajamas and headed to work early that day.

"It will be just a moment Doctor Spengler," the nurse told him handing him a clipboard and pen with some papers on it. "Could you please fill these out for me?"

Egon took the clipboard and pen and crossed the empty waiting room to stand by the wall. Egon thought it was a little odd that there was no one in the waiting room but knew that because of this he would be seen right away. Egon still had to get back to his studio apartment and pick up some equipment before he met Ray and Peter at Dana's place that afternoon.

Dana lived near him over on first avenue and 77th Street. Egon's studio apartment was on 110th and Broadway so Ray and Peter were going to meet him at Kerbs Boathouse in Central Park at four that afternoon. Ray was looking forward to seeing Dana again but Egon wasn't. How was he going to tell Dana that her trust in him had been broken? Ray hadn't meant to tell Peter, but it had happened. Would Dana ever trust him again?

Egon finished filling out his forms and crossing the room he handed them back to the nurse.

"Very good Doctor Spengler," she said, taking the clipboard from him. "It shouldn't be that long. Would you please have a seat."

"With all due respect I would rather stand thank you." Egon said going back to his spot against the wall.

Roughly about five minutes later the nurse called him in. After taking his vitals once again and signing Egon into the hospital he followed her down the long white hallway to the bank of elevators. As Egon followed the nurse he was taken back to when he had walked a similar hallway in Ohio. Egon had followed a doctor then down the hallway and into a private room where his father lay dying. The doctor had explained to Egon that Doctor Edison Spengler had no hope of recovery and was in and out of consciousness.

"Mother?" Egon said, standing behind his mother and placing a hand on her shoulder.

Katherine, who been sitting in a chair pulled up to her husband's bed, raised her head to him. "Egon, I'm glad you made it." she said wiping away her tears. "Edison," Katherine squeezed her husband's right hand. "your son Egon is here."

Katherine released her husband's hand and pushing her chair back, stood up. She indicated for Egon to sit down and moved out of his way for him to do so.

"Egon, please spend some time with your father. I'll check in with you later."

Egon sat down in the chair, vacated by his mother and looked at his father. Edison was pale and had a blue tinge to his lips. Edison was hooked up to monitors which were silently beeping at him from the head of his father's bed. His father was only on oxygen. Egon knew that he didn't want any extraordinary efforts if his heart should fail. As a scientist Edison didn't believe in a God and didn't fear death like his wife did. Death was just another step to take in his journey. Because after all, physics dictates that since energy and momentum must be conserved, particles are not actually made into nothing, but rather into new particles. "Therefore," Edison had told his son one day, "My molecules must become new things, because matter can't be created or destroyed. It is only transferred and transformed from one type to another."

As the pair exited the elevators on the radiology floor, Egon was placed under the care of Doctor Stringham. Doctor Stringham would do the radiographs first he told Egon, then the MRI. Being led into the radiograph room Egon was asked to remove his jacket and vest. A task that should have been easy on any given day was now becoming harder for Egon to do. As he struggled to get his arms out of the jacket the person who was taking the radiographs that day came to his rescue.

"Hurts to rotate your back, huh?" she asked, helping Egon out of his jacket.

"Yes, thank you." Egon said as he unbuttoned his vest.

When Egon's vest was removed the radiologist positioned Egon where she wanted him to stand and disappeared for a moment to take the picture. When she reappeared she carried two hospital gowns in her hands.

"I'm really sorry about this but for your MRI you need to get undressed. I'll show you where you can change and I'll send someone to help you also."

Egon picked up his vest and jacket and followed the radiologist next door. She placed the hospital gowns down on a wooden bench inside a small changing stall. She then kneeled down in front of Egon and untied his shoes and helped him out of them.

"You are allowed to keep your socks on if you would like, but the rest has to go. Put the one hospital gown on first like a jacket then the other one on backwards. Holler if you need help." she said, placing Egon's shoes on the floor inside the changing stall.

Egon already knew that this was going to be painful. For two days now Egon had problems with just dressing himself. Maybe Charlie was right and he had something wrong with him. Sighing Egon stepped into the changing stall and pulled the white curtain shut behind him. After a few moments a knock on the door announced that another nurse had come to help him.

"Doctor Spengler?" a familiar voice called.

"Grace?" Egon questioned, slightly embarrassed.

Grace Simone pulled back the white curtain to reveal Egon sitting on the wooden bench with his shirt unbuttoned. That was as far as he had gotten.

"Would you like me to fetch another nurse for you Doctor Spengler?" Grace asked in concern.

"No, I would rather it be you. Just don't tell Eden that you got to see more than a pair of underwear." he teased her.

"My lips are sealed." Grace replied stepping into the changing stall and closing the curtain behind her.

Ten minutes later Grace was helping Egon up onto the table for his MRI. Undressing had been painful and he was now on the verge of tears. Placing a device called a coil right below Egon's waist Grace smiled at him and squeezed his hand as she helped Egon to lie down onto the table. Egon also wore a special belt strap used to sense breathing and heartbeats. The MRI would take about thirty minutes Grace told Egon but she knew that he had to be still through the process or the team would have to sedate Egon and start again. Explaining this to Egon Grace told him to close his eyes and think about something else while the machine did its work.

Egon felt Grace release his hand and the table start to move into the machine. From the pressure of lying on his back, Egon's back pain was starting up again. After five minutes of listening to the fan and feeling air move along with clicking noises, Egon tried to block the pain from his mind. Egon thought back to another form of pain in his life.

After sitting by his father's bedside for an hour, his mother had come back into her husband's room.

"Mother," Egon said as she came into the room, "does he ever wake up?"

"Sometimes sweetheart." she stopped just shy of the hospital bed. "Your father is very stubborn. He refused to seek out medical help when he started feeling sick. By the time he went it was too late, the cancer had spread."

"Kathie?" a weak voice spoke.

"Edison!" Katherine crossed the last couple of feet to the left side of her husband's bed and took his hand in hers. "Edison, your son is here to see you." she told him.

"Egon?" Doctor Edison Spengler turned his head slowly to his right to see Egon sitting at his side.

Egon had noticed that for the past hour his father's monitors had all started to slow down and Edison's heart was starting to skip beats. Egon knew that this was probably the last time that he would get to speak to his father. Taking his father's hand in his Egon said.

"Father, I'm sorry that I haven't been here for you. My work has kept me busy." Egon sighed and blinked away a tear that was in his eye. "Father I love you with all my heart."

Edison looked at Egon with dull brown eyes and said, "Egon, my son. I am disappointed in…" his voice trailed off as Edison's heart monitor went into a flat line and a continuous loud beep was heard throughout the room.

The table moving again brought Egon out of his thoughts. Tears were in his eyes and he wiped them away with the sleeve of his hospital gown. Grace was by his side right away and took his hand in hers.

"Doctor Spengler I'm so sorry. I didn't know you were claustrophobic."

"What?" Egon was slightly confused.

"Your heart rate, respiration and the tears that I see now all tell me that. Would you like me to call Eden down here for you?" Grace said as she helped Egon to sit up.

"No. Yes." Egon didn't know what to say. He was upset about his father not the MRI.

"Egon." Grace said quietly.

Egon looked up from the floor into Grace's face. She had never called him by his first name until now. Grace was worried about him. Eden had such wonderful roommates.

Grace continued, "I think it only fair that Eden be here to help you in your time of need, just like you were there for her last night."

Egon swallowed and just nodded his head. Egon suddenly felt dizzy. Grace could see the color drain from his face.

"Here Doctor Spengler, lie down on your side for a moment," she said helping him back down onto the table. "You got up too quickly."

Doctor Stringham came into the room. "Grace do we need to get Doctor Spengler a bed?" he asked, crossing to stand beside her.

Grace looked at Egon as he carefully shook his head no. He hoped she caught it.

"No. Doctor Spengler just got up to quickly Doctor Stringham, he'll be fine." she told him.

"Glad to hear it. We are breaking for lunch Grace, so take as much time as you need. Do you need me to do anything for you before I go?" he asked her.

"Yes. Could you call Eden for me and send her here?"

"Sure thing Grace." he said as he kissed her on her cheek.

"Thanks, Paul."

Egon watched as Doctor Stringham walked out the door and Grace sighed.

"Look Grace, you don't need to baby-sit me. Go have lunch with your fiancé."

"No Doctor Spengler, I'm not leaving you until Eden gets here. Paul can wait, we both know how work can get."

Usually the commute from Grace's apartment to work would take about fifteen minutes provided the subway ran on time. Eden made it in ten. Eden found Egon and Grace back in the changing room area with Grace tying Egon's shoes as he tied his tie back on.

"Egon darling, what happened? Doctor Stringham called and said that you needed me right away!"

Eden helped Egon stand up and they all moved out into the hallway as Grace led them to an exam room. Eden had her arm wrapped around Egon's shoulder, holding him close to her but not too close to interfere with his walking. Egon was watching Eden's face to keep his mind off of his back.

"Oh, Eden don't worry." Egon said, "Doctor Charlie Levine wants to rule out some things. I'm sure there is nothing wrong other than some deep bruising."

"You are partly right Egon."

Egon looked down the hallway to see Charlie standing in the doorway to the exam room. When did he get here? Egon wondered. As if Doctor Levine was reading Egon's mind and in answer to his question, Charlie told Egon that Doctor Stringham had called when Egon was in his MRI and having increased respiration and heat rate readings. Doctor Stringham was worried about Doctor Levine's patient and had called him to come over.

"What did you find Doctor Levine?" Eden asked as they stopped in front of Charlie.

"No compression fractures but a slight swelling that may lead to a herniated disc if you don't take care of yourself Egon." Charlie said, "Please come inside." he said stepping aside to let the couple pass by him.

"Grace, I will need these items please." Charlie said handing her a piece of paper.

"I'll be right back Eden, Doctor Spengler." Grace said as she turned and walked away down the hallway.

"Don't bother sitting Egon, this will be quick." Charlie said as he saw Egon going for the nearest chair. "I want you to try walking more this next week. No subways or busses if you can help it. Standing is better for your back instead of sitting for prolonged periods of time. Try and get some rest too. No late nights. Sorry Eden, but I need Egon to get at least nine hours rest these next couple of days. He will not be able to walk you home from the opera at least until next Tuesday. Egon I'm going to give you two injections. One is a muscle relaxant and the other is a cortisone injection for the swelling. I need to see you back for a recheck appointment in one week's time. I am also giving you a prescription for some muscle relaxing pills for you to use at home. I know you are having trouble sleeping, but I don't want you to take any sleep aids. These could cause a possible drug reaction with the muscle relaxing pills that you are going to be taking. Possible side effects are respiratory arrest or coma. Any questions?"

Egon shook his head no as Grace returned carrying a metal tray with two syringes on it. Eden released her hold on Egon's shoulders so that Egon could unbuckle his belt to his suit pants. Eden smiled at him. Egon saw her face and flushed. Now Eden was going to see more than a pair of underwear.

"Eden, I'm sorry about this." Egon whispered to her so that Charlie and Grace couldn't hear. Having undone his buckle, Egon lowered his pants for Charlie to give him the injections.

Eden knew that Egon was embarrassed enough already. She knew that Grace probably had seen Egon naked and that didn't help the situation he was in now at all. Eden decided that she was not going to look. She raised her face and locked her eyes upon Egon's eyes.

"Egon there is nothing to be sorry about." she whispered back to Egon, keeping her eyes glued to his face.

Egon saw that Eden was looking at his face and not trying to catch a glimpse of his hindend. It made Egon feel better and then embarrassed that he had seen Eden by accident. Egon felt his face flush as he lowered his eyes to the floor, Egon started to say Eden's name only to be cut off by her. Eden had been watching his face. Taking her hand she placed it upon Egon's chin and raised his face up to look into her beautiful green eyes. Smiling, she mouthed the words. "I forgive you."

Egon understood what she was telling him. Egon had blamed himself for seeing Eden half naked yesterday. He didn't want that. Egon felt that Eden would not like him after what had happened. Here she was telling him that it wasn't his fault. It had been an accident, that was all. There were no hard feelings between the pair. All was as it should be. Their relationship was solid. Egon nodded his head. Here was a woman who loved him unconditionally no matter what happened to them. How could he not find it in his heart to love her back? What was wrong with him?

"Your done Egon." Charlie said.

Egon pulled his pants back up and tucking his shirt back in, he fastened his belt up once again.

"Thanks Grace. You can go enjoy your lunch with Doctor Stringham." Charlie said.

"See you back home, Eden." Grace said as she turned and left the room.

"Bye, Grace." Eden said to her retreating back.

"All right Eden, why don't you take Egon home so he can get some rest. The muscle relaxing injection can make you drowsy Egon. I'll call Dean Williams and let him know that you are going to be gone for the rest of the day." Charlie said handing Egon a prescription. "Have this filled before the weekend. It is the muscle relaxant. Take them twice a day and it should help. If anything changes, give a call."

"Thanks, Charlie." Egon said shaking his hand.

"Just do me one favor Egon." Charlie said releasing Egon's hand.

"What?"

Charlie leaned into Egon and whispered into his ear so that Eden couldn't hear him. "Don't let this one get away. Eden is your match."

Pulling back, Charlie showed them out of the room and back down the hallway to the elevators.

Eden wondered what Doctor Levine had said to Egon because he seemed to be deep in thought about it. Shrugging it off, she walked by Egon's side out of the elevators and down the hallway headed for the exit. Charlie left them to sign out as he went back to work at Columbia University.

After Egon had signed himself out, he and Eden had walked home to his studio apartment three blocks away. He was feeling a bit tired and wondered if it was from his injection or his sleepless night. Eden helped him off with his jacket, vest, and shoes as he told her about having to go see Dana that afternoon. Eden had set his alarm clock for him in case he dozed off to sleep and told Egon she would be back before he had to go to make sure he was up.

Egon had slept well and was awakened to a knock on his door and the alarm clock going off at the same time. Turning the alarm clock off and tossing the sheets aside, he got up to answered the door. Eden stood there with a brown paper bag in her hands. He wondered what was inside.

"I filled your prescription for you Egon." Eden said in reply to the unspoken question.

Eden helped Egon back into his jacket, shoes, and overcoat before they left the studio apartment. Egon, in his briefcase, took a new piece of equipment that he had made with him to Dana's. Egon and Eden were going to have to take the subway. There was no other way around it. It was just too far to walk. Eden had gotten off at 66th street/Lincoln Center to go to the 'Met' and he had continued on to Time Square. Here Egon transferred trains to go to Grand Central and then one last transfer to go uptown to 77th street. Egon hoped that the new Giga Meter that he had made in his spare time would help with Dana's problem. The Giga Meter was a gauge designed to measure psychomagnatheric energy in Giga electron volts or GeV's, Egon's own term. Ray was bringing the PKE Meter that took readings of Psycho Kinetic Energy. Between the two Egon was sure they could figure out what had happened to Dana's baby carriage.

Having met Ray and Peter at Kerbs Boathouse at Central Park the group had walked six blocks east and three blocks north to first avenue and 77th street. Walking down the hallway to Dana's apartment Egon could hear cello music. It was Joseph Haydn's Cello Concerto No. 1 in C major, the first movement or Moderato as most musicians referred to it as. Dana was getting better. There was no choppiness to her bowing or phasing. Stopping before the door, Ray knocked on it.

"I'll get it." came a voice inside as the cello music stopped.

The door opened to reveal Dana standing there with a smile upon her face. Egon hung his head down to the floor. On the walk over he had told Ray that since he had 'spilled the beans' and had told Peter, Ray was going to be the one to tell Dana why Peter was with them.

"Hi Ray. It's good to see you. Thanks for coming." she said hugging him.

"No problem Dana. Always glad to help," he paused then continued, "and hug."

"Hi, Egon." Dana said to him shaking his hand.

"Hi, Dana." Egon said. Dana released Egon's hand and went to shut the door, Egon raised his hand, "Uh, wait…" he trailed off as Peter stuck his hand in the doorway before it closed.

"Well I know I'm just asking for the big hurt, but I'd thought I'd give us one more chance." Peter said as he entered the apartment and shut the door behind him.

"Dana I'm sorry." Egon started to say but Ray cut him off.

"Dana, he tortured me. He pulled my ears. Don't be mad at Egon, it's all my fault."

Dana regarded Peter coolly. She was always amused and amazed at his presumptuousness.

"Hi, Peter." she said.

"Hi, Dana." Peter replied in a sexy voice. Going back into a normal voice he continued. "You know Dana, I'm very hurt that you didn't call me first. I'm still into all this stuff, you know. Haven't you seen my show?"

"I have. That's why I didn't call you first." Dana replied, folding her arms across her chest.

"Oh just great," Egon thought, they were going to get into a lover's quarrel. Dana broke off staring at Peter and turned to him instead. "So, Egon what do you want to do first?" she asked him.

"We would like to see the baby first Dana. Then Egon and I would like to examine the buggy and any toys. His sleeping quarters can come last, before we check the street. Is that good with you?" Ray asked.

"Sure thing Ray." Dana said taking Oscar from her daycare worker Maria. "Where do you want me to go with him?"

"The kitchen table is good Dana." Ray said crossing to it and opening up a changing pad to set upon the table.

"Is he going to be okay, Egon?" Dana asked, clearly shaken by Peter coming along.

"Sure Dana. Oscar will be fine." Egon replied.

Peter, seeing that Dana wanted nothing to do with him, went over and picked up her Amati cello from off of the chair where she had placed it to answer the door. Putting one foot on the chair Peter held the cello on his knee, like a guitar and started plucking the strings. He knew that this would get her attention.

Egon cringed. How could Peter do that to an expensive instrument? Dana's cello was made by The Brothers Amati who were considered to be two of Cremona's finest instrument makers. The Brothers work closely followed that of their father Andrea, the founder of the Cremona school. While the Amati violins were typically femininely small, their tenor and bass instruments were more robust both in size and tone. Dana's face changed before Egon's eyes. He knew she was mad, probably at him for bringing Peter along. Before he could say anything she turned on her heels and left them with her baby.

"So what happened to Mr. Right?" Peter asked as Dana crossed the room and took the cello from him. "I heard he ditched you and the kid and moved to Europe."

Dana had her back to Peter as a tear slid from her eye. This was something that she didn't want to talk about now. Placing her Amati cello into a box by the window she wiped her eyes before turning around to face Peter.

"He didn't 'ditch' me. We had some problems and he got a very good job offer from an orchestra in London so he took it." she said to Peter.

"So he ditched you." Peter said again. "You know you should have married me."

Dana stared at Peter. She had been thinking about that for the past six months. Why hadn't she married Peter? Now she was upset with him.

"Peter you never asked me and every time I brought up the subject you'd get drowsy and fall asleep." she retorted.

"Dana you don't understand, I'm very sensitive. I need to feel loved and desired."

"Well, Peter, when you started introducing me as 'the old ball and chain', that's when I left." Dana let him have it. Peter knew better, but he didn't realize it at all. Peter had been good for her, but he had been more interested in his own life than to try and share that life with someone else at that point in time. Dana wanted to let him know what he had lost.

"Well I may have a few personal problems but one thing I am is a total professional." Peter said as he crossed to the table where Ray and Egon were with Oscar.

"Egon! What are you going to do? Knit him a snowsuit?" Peter said as he saw Egon taking measurements of the babies body and head with a tape measure and calipers.

That was the last straw for Egon. He had overhead the conversation with Peter and Dana. Peter was just the same as when they were roommates at school. Trying to get any girl he could into bed with him so he could claim them as a conquest. Ray saw that Egon was going to do something that he might regret in the morning and took a hold of his arm. Egon looked up at Ray and sighed. Instead of hitting Peter which is what Egon had wanted to do, he handed Peter a specimen jar instead.

"Peter I'd like for you to get a stool specimen for me." Egon said walking away from Peter, with the Giga Meter in his hands.

"Business or personal?" Peter asked as Egon retreated.

Egon followed Ray as Dana led them to Oscar's room. Oscar's room was brightly colored and had a lot of stuffed toys. Dana apologized for the room being messy but Ray told her that it was fine. They just wanted to sweep for valences. Egon was taken back to his childhood. He didn't have a colorful room or toys growing up.

"Very cheerful, Dana." Egon said. "My parents didn't believe in toys."

Peter, yelling help from the other room, took Dana away from the men. "Just great," Egon thought. "There goes Peter again." He wasn't going to get out of this day without something happening to him. Ray, always the child, had picked up a yellow stuffed dinosaur toy. Cuddling it to his chest Ray asked Egon a question.

"Egon. You mean you never even had a slinky?"

"I had part of a slinky." Egon paused remembering back to his childhood. His cousins had given him a slinky for Christmas one year. His mother and father had found out and had taken it away from him. Egon had found half of it in the trash the next day when he put the cans on the curb for the garbage collection. Taking the piece back to his room he had studied it trying to figure out how it got to be curved. Egon finished his thought. "But I straitened it."

Sighing Egon turned on the Giga Meter and swept the room as Ray did the same with the PKE Meter. Ray was the first one to break the silence.

"Egon, you have to stop being upset at Peter. He may never change his ways and it is only going to make your mental state worse."

"Ray," Egon said as he turned off the Giga Meter and sat on the edge of the dresser, "you didn't have to deal with him as a roommate. He was rude, a slacker, a practical joker, and got drunk or high most of the time. I single-handedly got him through graduate school. You know Peter used to seduce co-eds with a lot of hooey about 'chakras' and 'mystical Tibetan oil' which was really 'Miss Kitty's Massage Oil' that he repackaged in my test tubes."

"So, what? Think about it Egon. Has Peter really changed all that much? He is still rude, a slacker, and the biggest practical joker that walked the planet. He still drinks and womanizes. The only thing that has changed is the drug use." Ray said as he placed the stuffed toy into Oscar's crib.

"How do you know?" Egon questioned Ray, as he watched Ray climbed under Oscar's crib with the PKE Meter in hand.

"Remember Egon, I still talk to Peter. You gave up trying to understand him years ago." Ray said as Peter entered the room.

"Well, Holmes, what do you think?" Peter asked Ray under the crib.

"It's an interesting one, Pete. If anything was going on it's totally subdued now." Ray told him.

Peter then turned his attention to Egon. "What now, Brainiac?" he asked.

Egon released a breath. Maybe Ray was right. Peter was Peter after all. There was no use trying to change him. Egon was going to have to deal with his feelings of hatred for Peter by himself. Egon answered Peter's question.

"I think we should see if we can find anything abnormal on the street."

"Finding something abnormal on the street shouldn't be too hard." Peter told Egon.

"That's a good one Peter." Ray said sliding out from under the crib and standing up to follow the others out of the room.

Dana left Oscar with Maria as she led the former 'Ghostbusters' down the street, retracing the path of the runaway carriage. Egon and Ray were in the rear, monitoring PKE and GeV valences from the pavement and nearby buildings. Stopping on the corner of 77th and first avenue, Dana pointed across the busy street.

"That's where the carriage stopped." she told Peter who was next to her. Peter had been talking to Dana about the good times that they had had when they were a couple.

"Okay, let's take a look." Peter said as he walked right out into the middle of oncoming traffic.

"Hey Peter! What are you doing?" Ray shouted at him, and nudging Egon followed Peter out into the street.

Peter, oblivious to the cars honking and whizzing past him, started motioning like a traffic cop bringing a cab to a standstill.

"Hey bubby. You want to get out of the way!" the cab driver yelled at him.

"Relax." Peter told him. "You're on the meter."

Egon thought he heard the cab driver call Peter something that he didn't want to repeat as the cab moved around Peter and continued on down the road.

"Is this the spot Dana?" Ray asked.

"A little to the left. Right there! That's where it stopped." Dana replied.

Egon and Ray bent down to the pavement. As Egon passed his Giga Meter over the spot, the indicator went right into the red zone and started clicking wildly.

"Oh, Ho, Ho, Ho. I think we hit the honey pot. There's something brewing under the street." Ray said getting excited, as he looked as his PKE Meter which was going off too. "I have one-one-eighteen on the PKE Meter, Egon."

"I got 2.5 GeV's on the Giga Meter, Ray." Egon told his friend.

"Well, what does that mean?" Dana asked the men.

Ray and Egon looked at each other. They knew what that meant. Another cab that had come up honked at the group.

"Come on guys lets get off this street and go back to Dana's place where we can talk without getting killed." Peter said as he took Dana's hand and led her off of the street and up onto the sidewalk. Egon and Ray followed.

Egon knew that they were going to have to get under the street somehow. They needed to see what was going on.

"Ray do you think there are any storm drains or sewer lines on that side of the street?" Egon asked.

Ray knew where Egon was going. "I don't think so but I will look when I get back to the shop. I don't want to dig up the street either, if you were thinking that."

Egon nodded his head. He had been thinking that. Peter overheard them.

"So Friday night is good for me. How about you two?" Peter said to Ray and Egon. "Don't worry I'll take care of everything."

"Uh, Oh." Ray and Egon said together. Yep, Egon thought to himself, he wasn't going to get out of this day without something bad happening to him. Let alone this week.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Egon sat across from Ray in a booth at the Thai Market on Amsterdam Avenue between 107th and 108th streets. After finishing up at Dana's apartment, Ray and Egon had caught the cross-town bus on the corner of 79th and First Avenue. Ray had told Egon that he was hungry and had wanted to get something to eat before he took him to where they were going.

Egon suggested Thai food and Ray being adventurous had agreed. Egon had eaten at this restaurant before as it was close to his place and Columbia University. Ray had never eaten Thai food before and figured it was like Chinese food. Ordering a chicken entry, Ray had been surprised to find it to be too spicy for his taste.

"You know Egon," Ray said, "Dana's baby is just precious. Holding Oscar was good for my morale. He made me think about life and how short it is. I am going to take up playing my clarinet again, if Dana can get back into the orchestra so can I."

Egon remembered back to when Ray had asked Dana if he could hold Oscar. Dana explained that Oscar needed to be fed so she could put him down for the night. Ray told Dana that he could do it for her. Ray took Oscar into the nursery while he and Peter were at the kitchen table gathering their items and cleaning up. When Egon was done packing he went to get Ray. Ray had settled himself into the rocking chair in the nursery and was holding Oscar on his lap while he fed the baby a bottle. When Egon came in Ray looked up at him and smiled.

"We're ready to go Ray." Egon told him.

"Just one more minute, Egon." Ray told him. "Oscar is just adorable. Peter doesn't know what he is missing."

Ray looked back at Oscar and then cocked his head to the side. He had an idea. It may backfire on him but Ray was going to try it anyways.

"Egon." Ray said. "I need your help."

"Sure Ray. What do you need?"

Ray stood up from the rocker and walked over to where Egon stood in the doorway.

"Here hold him." Ray said offering Egon the baby.

Scared, Egon took a step backwards. He had never held a baby that he could remember.

"Egon, he doesn't bite." Ray told him, again offering Oscar to him. "I'll be right here if anything goes wrong."

Egon took Oscar from Ray awkwardly. Ray saw that Egon wasn't too comfortable with holding a baby. Ray had Egon sit down in the rocker. It would be easier for Egon to hold Oscar that way.

As Egon sat in the rocker holding Oscar something strange started happening to him. Egon couldn't explain it at first. He had come to the apartment hating Peter and wanting to get done and away from him as fast as possible. But now, holding and rocking Oscar, something else was happening. Surprised that he wasn't feeling hatred, Egon looked up at Ray puzzled. Ray nodded his head at him.

"Oscar's just great, isn't he?" Ray said.

Ray saw that Egon was trying to piece together what was happening. Ray squatted down in front of the rocker. Egon stopped rocking as Ray whispered to him so that the others wouldn't hear.

"Egon, you are probably feeling something that you have never felt before. It happened with me when I held my sister's first baby. I was an Uncle and felt love for this tiny creature that I didn't even know yet." Ray sighed then continued. "Egon you can have this now with Eden. Just picture that Oscar is yours and Eden's child and tell me how that feels?"

Egon looked away from Ray as Oscar's hand had started to explore his face. Egon had felt wonder and amazement at Oscar. He contemplated on how this life had been formed from tiny cells. Egon looked from Oscar to Ray. How would he feel if this was his child? He knew he wouldn't feel bad about it if he got Eden pregnant. Eden was after all wanting that next step from him, but would Eden want a child? Now doubt crept into his mind.

"Ray." Egon told his friend. "I guess that I would be fine if Oscar was mine but I don't know how Eden would feel."

"Have you asked her if she wants children, Egon?"

Egon shook his head no and looked back into Oscar's face. This baby that he was holding was so peaceful for his soul. What if Eden didn't want children because of her career. Egon had never thought about having any children until now. Thanks to Ray, Egon now had another thing to add to his list of wants in his life.

"Egon." Ray said standing up. "Next time you talk to Eden you should ask her."

"Who's Eden?" Dana's voice asked.

Both men looked to see Dana standing in the doorway of the nursery. They hadn't heard her come in.

Ray spoke first. "Dana, I'm sorry about Egon holding Oscar. I should have asked your permission first."

"Ray it's fine. Could you give me a moment alone with Egon please?" Dana replied.

Ray turned and left the room as Dana closed the door so that she could talk to Egon in private.

"Dana I'm sorry…" Egon started to say but Dana cut him off with a wave of her hand. Crossing the room to sit on the dresser, like Egon had done hours before, she spoke.

"Egon, I don't blame you for Peter being here. It was bound to happen when Peter and Ray got together. I just want to know two things. One, did you solve the problem that I had with your first experiment on Monday and Two, is Eden the person that you're in love with?"

Straight and to the point. Dana was always a person who needed answers right away.

"Yes, Dana." Egon told her rising up from the rocker.

Dana seeing this, quickly got up off of the dresser and placing her hands onto Egon's shoulders pushed him back into the rocker.

"Sit Egon. When I'm upset I find that rocking Oscar is good for me. He helps calm my troubled mind and sets my feet back onto the path that I need to go."

"Dana I won't be able to sit much longer as I hurt my back that Monday when you came to see me."

Dana nodded her head. So that was why he had pulled away from her.

"So, Egon." Dana asked. "Is the answer to my questions 'yes' for both?"

"Yes, Dana. I solved the problem and haven't done any more negative calibration testing, and Eden is the person that I may be in love with."

"Eden. Her name sounds familiar. Do I know her?"

"Maybe. Eden knows you. Eden is an opera singer with the Metropolitan Opera."

Dana narrowed her eyes at Egon.

"Eden Parnell? Young girl, late 20's, long straight brown hair, with dark green eyes? Came from Utah to sing in the choir?"

"Yes, Dana, that's her. Eden is thirty years old. She had a birthday in September."

"Oh Egon, you are so lucky if you know her."

"Why?" Egon questioned Dana.

"Eden didn't tease me about being turned into a terror dog like the other members of the orchestra did. When I was pregnant with Oscar she would carry my cello home for me. That is something that only Peter would do for me before we broke up. My ex-husband, Andre, never did that at all. I am pretty sure Eden didn't live anywhere near here, but she didn't let on that it was a burden on her. Eden has such a good heart Egon. She would give you the coat off of her back and I know that for a fact because last January she did just that when she was carrying my cello home for me."

Egon smiled at Dana. That sounded like his Eden. Putting others first. Egon stirred in his seat. His back was starting to act up again. Dana saw Egon's face change and knew that he couldn't sit any longer. Taking Oscar's sleeping form from Egon, she placed him in his crib and then turned back to help Egon up from the rocker.

"Egon I want to thank you for helping me." Dana told him. "And Egon," Dana opened the bedroom door, "I do hope you find that you love Eden. She is a good match for you."

Ray, snapping his fingers in Egon's face startled him.

"Earth to Egon." Ray said.

"Ray," Egon muttered, "I must have tuned you out. I'm sorry. What were you saying?"

"We are going to be late Egon, we need to get going."

Splitting the bill when it came, Ray led Egon out of the restaurant and up the street. Ray still wouldn't tell him where they were going as they caught the subway outside of Egon's studio apartment on Broadway. Before catching the subway, Egon ran inside and left his briefcase containing the Giga Meter and Ray's PKE Meter on his kitchen table. Taking the #1 train uptown one stop, Ray and Egon got off at 116th Street.

Egon knew where he was. This was his stop every morning for Columbia University. Egon narrowed his eyes at Ray. Where were they going? Walking on the plaza in front of Low Library, Egon followed Ray as he turned right to walk past St. Paul's Chapel heading towards his building that he worked in. As Ray stopped in front of the doors of Schermerhorn building Egon questioned him.

"Ray where are we going? You do know that this is where I work?"

"Yes, Egon I know. I love your office door by the way, but this is where my group that I belong to meets every Wednesday night."

Ray pulled opened the door and let Egon go inside first as he told him that they needed to go to the fourth floor in the Schermerhorn Extension. Making a right instead of a left as Egon normally would do to go to work, he followed Ray to the end of the hallway. Ray then made a left and went forward to a staircase. Going down the few stairs Ray made a right and then another left. The bank of elevators were on their right. Pushing the up button, the two men waited for the elevator's doors to open.

"I'm amazed that you still remember how to get around here Ray." Egon told his friend as the elevator's doors opened and the men stepped inside.

Pushing the button for the fourth floor Ray responded, "Yea, I got lost the first couple of weeks until I finally figured out where everything was."

"Remember the saying about the bathrooms here?" Egon asked.

"Yea. The saying went that the chances of finding a bathroom here are as high as the chances of Ronald Reagan speaking at campus." Ray responded as the doors opened and they exited the elevators. "But I still remember that the men's restroom is on the eighth floor."

"That's correct, but now the 'M' has worn off the door." Egon told Ray as he followed him down the hallway to stop before one of the classroom doors.

"I believe that Egon. I wonder if Peter's hieroglyphics are still on the bathroom walls?"

"He wrote them on the walls of the bathroom!" Egon almost yelled, as Ray opened the door to the room.

"Yes, didn't you know that was what he wanted them for? He told me that you translated sixteen different dirty limericks into hieroglyphics for him."

"He told me he needed a favor to pass a class." Egon told Ray, upset at Peter now. How could Peter have done this to him and he didn't even know about it until today? It was a wonder that Egon hadn't gotten into trouble back then, because he was one of a handful of people that could write hieroglyphics.

Egon followed Ray into the room and closed the door behind them. An assortment of other men and women were there. One man who looked to be in his early twenties was writing on the blackboard with yellow chalk.

"_If the instructions were too complicated to read, let alone follow, to get here you're best off not majoring in one of the subjects taught in this building."_

"Hi, Greg." Ray said to the man.

"Hi, Ray." the man responded, placing the chalk down as he finished writing.

Ray turned to Egon and whispered into his ear. "Only first names here. No titles. Except the instructor. Oh and don't worry about Greg, he's harmless."

"What does his message mean?" Egon questioned as he nodded a 'hi' towards Greg and followed Ray to a seat.

"Oh, that. Greg's been angry about the directions that were given out on how to find your way here since the first meeting and he got lost. It's his little way of venting so the instructor lets him do it."

As Egon looked around the classroom he could see that an older woman was busy knitting something. It looked like it could end up being a blanket as she knit long fast rows and then reversed to knit the other way.

"Evening, Helga." Ray said to the woman.

"Guten Abend, Ray." Helga told him speaking German. Switching to English she continued, "Who is your friend?"

"This is Egon. I met him when I worked here at Columbia." Ray told her.

"Now it makes sense." Greg said to no one in particular. "That's how you know your way around this place like the back of your hand."

Before Ray could respond the door to the classroom opened and another man stepped inside. A man that Egon knew only too well.

"Evening everyone. I'm sorry I'm late." Doctor Charlie Levine said as he closed the door and crossed to the front of the room. "I see we have some guests with us tonight. Samantha do you want to go first, then Ray?"

Samantha stood up. She was a young girl who looked to be in her late teens. Indicating with her hand to the older woman sitting beside her, Samantha spoke. "This is my mother."

"Does your mother have a first name?" Doctor Levine asked.

"Oh yea, sorry Doctor Levine. Her name is Sandy." Embarrassed Samantha sat down.

"Welcome Sandy. We use first names here. No titles. Sorry I embarrassed you Samantha." Doctor Levine said. "Ray you're up."

Ray rose from his seat. "This is a good friend of mine. His name is Egon."

"Welcome Egon." Doctor Levine said as Ray took his seat again.

"Egon? How did you get a name like that?" a man in the back asked.

"It's a long story." Egon replied. "One that wouldn't be wise to tell here, I'm sorry."

"You are quite right Egon." Doctor Levine answered. "Tonight we need to work on our own problems. As you all know, except maybe our guests, you are all here because at one point in your life you tried to commit suicide and all of you had a stay in our wonderful hospital system." Doctor Levine turned around to pick up the yellow chalk. "Nice Greg. This works for our subject for tonight. Mind if I use it?"

"Hell, no." Greg said crossing his arms.

Doctor Levine turned around to finish his thought. "As you know, in order for you to stay out of our hospital system you all have to enroll and attend a suicide prevention group each week. We have gone over the warning signs and how to make sure that you aren't falling down that trap again. Tonight we are going to be learning about letting go of our hatred and forgiving those that have harmed us."

Doctor Levine turned around once more to indicate the blackboard behind him. "This is a great example of Greg's hatred." he said. "Greg, I don't blame you for not liking the directions that were given to everyone from the hospital. It is clearly evident that no one from the local hospitals, except maybe Columbia University Medical Center, knows anything about Morningside Campus or its buildings. If they did, they would know not to send you to the Amsterdam Avenue entrance after six at night, as that door is always locked. Now however, we need to find a way to let go of this and forgive those that wrote those horrible directions in the first place."

Turning back to the group, Doctor Levine continued, "We all need a spirit of forgiveness and an attitude of love and compassion towards those who may have wronged us in the first place. We need this for our souls. The whole world has a need for it."

Doctor Levine crossed to a desk nearby and sat on the corner of it. Opening up his backpack that he had placed on the desk when he had come in, he retrieved a book from it.

"If I could tell one quick story to illustrate my point," Doctor Levine said.

As he opened the book to find the page that was marked Doctor Levine told the group, "Guy de Maupassant, the French writer, tells us the story of a peasant named Hauchecome who came to the village on market day."

Finally coming to the page he wanted, Doctor Levine read aloud, "While walking through the public square, Hauchecome's eye caught sight of a piece of string lying on the cobblestones. He picked it up and put it in his pocket. His actions were observed by the village harness maker, with whom he had previously had a dispute."

"Later in the day the loss of a purse was reported. Hauchecome was arrested on the accusation of the harness maker. He was taken before the mayor, to whom he protested his innocence, showing the piece of string that he had picked up. But he was not believed and was laughed at."

"The next day the purse was found, and Hauchecome was absolved of any wrongdoing. But, resentful of the indignity he had suffered because of a false accusation, he became embittered and would not let the matter die. Unwilling to forgive, he thought and talked of little else. He neglected his farm. Everywhere he went, everyone he met had to be told of the injustice. By day and by night he brooded over it. Obsessed with his grievance, he became desperately ill and died. In the delirium of his death struggles, he repeatedly murmured, 'A piece of string, a piece of string.'"

Doctor Levine closed his copy of 'The Works of Guy de Maupassant' and laid it on the desk. "Does anyone have any thoughts?" he asked.

Ray was the first to raise his hand.

"Yes, Ray." Doctor Levine called on him.

"It seems to me that with some variations of characters and circumstances, this story could represent any of us. Just like Hauchecome, it is difficult for us to forgive those who have wronged us. We tend to brood over the evil done to us." Ray said.

"Yes," Helga spoke up when Ray stopped talking, "and as we brood we tend to get depressed and not want to do things for ourselves and others. Then comes…" she trailed off.

"Go on Helga." Doctor Levine urged quietly. "Everyone here has been down the same road. Face your fear and say the word."

Helga sat up straighter in her chair as she continued her thought. "Then comes thoughts of ending our lives. Thoughts of suicide." she finished.

"Yes." Doctor Levine said. "Now we need to find ways to forgive those who have wronged us. There is no happiness in living for the day when you can 'get even.'"

Doctor Levine got up from the desk and turned back towards Greg's writing on the blackboard. "People are not perfect. They are sometimes annoying, disappointing, inconsiderate, and selfish, and they do make mistakes. Thus, it is easy for us to find faults, because there are plenty of them around."

Picking up the yellow chalk Doctor Levine wrote along the side of the blackboard so as not to disturb Greg's sentence.

_Forgiveness is freeing up and putting to better use the energy once consumed by holding grudges, harboring resentments, and nursing unhealed wounds._

Doctor Levine finished writing and put down the chalk. Turning to the group he said, "I would like to break into pairs for about ten to fifteen minutes for an exercise. Please find a partner. As you break into your pairs I would like for you to make a list of those people that have wronged you in your life."

Doctor Levine went back to his backpack and pulled out paper and pencils. "Samantha, could you help me pass these out please?" he asked dividing the stack of paper and pencils between them.

Samantha rose from her seat to help Doctor Levine pass out the supplies, as the men and women in the room paired up into twos. Some rearranged their desks to be closer to one another while others got up and went to an empty seat next to the person that they wanted to work with.

"Now as you make your list I want you to also write next to that person's name all of the things that they have done to hurt you." Doctor Levine said as he finished passing the supplies out.

Egon took a piece of paper and a pencil from Samantha and paired up with Ray. Egon knew who the first person was going to be on his list. That was Peter. He next wrote down his father's name, Edison. Going back to Peter's name, Egon started listing all the things that Peter had done to him, starting with the hieroglyphics on the bathroom walls. Then in order of the first offense Egon wrote a list:

covering for Peter when he was drunk or high and couldn't get to class

my research papers for class that Peter put his name on and turned in for a grade

using my bed to seduce co-eds

taking my test tubes

pulling Ray's ears

signing Ray's and my name to work that Peter had done

being kicked off campus

arguing with Walter Peck

being forced to move back to Ohio

Peter's crack remarks about me teaching school

using Dana's Amati cello as a guitar

remarks about me knitting Oscar a snowsuit

Next to Edison's name Egon wrote:

disapproval of friends

took away my slinky

not a professor yet

always off on half brained schemes

didn't acknowledge the value of my work

never said he loved me

disappointed in me.

Egon noticed that Peter's list was longer than his father's list. He knew that he was harboring ill feelings towards Peter. Doctor Levine, calling the group to attention, interrupted him.

"Sorry everyone but time is up." Doctor Levine said. "Please turn your papers over and write down your homework assignment on them. I want you to take two chairs and arrange them facing each other. Seat yourself in one of the chairs and imagine that the first person on your list is sitting in the other chair across from you. Choose one act that you have written down about that person and choose to forgive that person once and for all of the 'harm' that they have done. You may not feel like being forgiving. That's all right. Just do it."

Doctor Levine crossed to the blackboard, picked up the yellow chalk, and wrote down a sentence above Greg's writing.

"_I fully and freely forgive _(person's name) for _(spell out what the person did)." _

When Doctor Levine had finished writing, he turned back to the group and explained what to do. "Before each act of 'harm' do this sentence." he said, waving a hand at the blackboard. "Fill in the blanks with the person and what they did each time you go down your list. I want you to read your list out loud several times, then take a match to it and burn it in the sink. This is very freeing, but please be careful not to start a fire or hurt yourself."

The group laughed at Doctor Levine as he started to wrap up for the evening. "So, by forgiving someone and letting go of the grudges and bitterness in our lives we can have healthier relationships, gain a greater psychological well-being, have less anxiety, stress and hostility, and most importantly have fewer symptoms of depression. As you let go of your hatred, you'll no longer define your life by how you've been hurt. You might even find compassion and understanding."

"Remember everyone that we have two more sessions before we break for Christmas. Everyone have a good week and don't forget your handouts on the desk on the way out. Goodnight."

The members of the group got up and slowly made their way towards the door. Some saying goodbyes and wishing Doctor Levine a goodnight. As Ray and Egon got up to leave Doctor Levine called to them.

"Ray, Egon, could you please stay and help me straighten up the classroom before going for the evening?" he asked.

"Sure, not a problem." Ray said as he started fixing the desks and chairs back the way that they were supposed to be.

As soon as everyone left Doctor Levine came over to Ray and Egon as they were putting the last desk and chair back into its original position.

"So, Egon," Doctor Levine said, "you are not taking my advise."

" Charlie, look I'm sorry," Egon said, as the trio exited the room, "Ray wanted me to come with him tonight but he didn't tell me where we were going. I didn't mean to disregard your medical advice."

"Doctor Levine, I'm afraid it is my fault that Egon is here." Ray said, pushing the elevator's down button, "What medical advice did you give Egon that he is disobeying?"

Stepping into the open elevator Egon turned to his friend, "Ray I hurt my back on Monday and went to see Charlie today at the Urgent Medical Care on campus. I was told to get at least nine hours rest because I have a slight swelling that may lead to a herniated disc if I am not careful."

"Egon you should have told me." Ray turned to Doctor Levine who had pushed the button for the first floor. "I'm so sorry about all this. I didn't know. I won't bring Egon back to the group meeting next week." Ray said.

Egon stopped Ray by placing his hand on his arm, "Ray, I want to come back. I learned a lot from Charlie and would like to return if I am welcome."

Doctor Levine inclined his head Egon's way. "You are always welcome here Egon. I will see you for your recheck next Wednesday, so that way I can make sure you are getting better. If you are, I will let you come with Ray next time. Now go home and get some rest."

Doctor Levine handed Ray and Egon the last two handouts as the trio stepped out of the elevator. Bidding the two men goodnight, he exited the building through the door that led to Amsterdam Avenue. Ray smiled. You could always go out the doors here but could never come in at night.

As Egon followed Ray back the way that they had come in he stopped by his office and left the handout and the paper that he had just written on his desk. Egon didn't want to lose them on his way home. He was planning on reading the handout tomorrow.

Egon now led the way as Ray followed across the dark, almost deserted campus heading for Broadway and 116th street. The men parted company as Ray went down the stairs to the subway below the street. Ray told Egon that he would come and get his PKE meter tomorrow around dinner time. Egon continued on the surface roads, walking down to his studio a few blocks away.

Fishing his keys out of the pocket of his overcoat, Egon opened the door to his place and turned on the lights. Removing his overcoat, Egon tossed it onto the back of the kitchen chair to his left. He was tired, his back hurt him and he wanted a shower.

Shutting and locking the door, Egon went to the bathroom in the back right hand corner of his studio. Flipping the lights on, Egon started the water running for his shower. As he let the hot water heat up he carefully undressed, placing his clothes into the hamper as he did so.

Charlie's lecture had been informative and Egon had enjoyed every minute of it. Ray had been right. If Egon had known ahead of time where Ray was going to be taking him, Egon would not have gone. Charlie had made the meeting fun and Egon wanted to return for more.

Egon took off his shoes by placing the toe of one foot into the heel of the other. This was the way he had taken off his shoes when he was a kid. His mother hadn't liked him doing this, as she was constantly after him about it, telling him "You're good shoes will get ruined after a while."

Egon smiled. Tonight though he didn't have a choice. He was having a hard time bending over because of his back. Placing his pants into the hamper and closing the lid, Egon placed his glasses on the bathroom sink's counter before stepping into the now hot shower. The water felt good. Egon always found that a hot shower helped him to relax when things were bothering him.

Egon had given Charlie's instructions some thought and he was going to try the experiment tomorrow at lunch time. He was looking forward to burning his list at the end of the assignment. He knew that forgiving Peter was going to be hard but if Ray could do it why not him?

Shutting off the water, Egon stepped out of the shower and dried himself off with the bath towel nearby. Leaving his glasses on the counter, Egon wrapped the towel around his waist, turned out the lights, and went back to his kitchenette by the front door.

Eden had left the brown paper bag with his prescription inside on the counter when they had left that afternoon. Opening the bag, Egon retrieved the bottle, and without looking at the directions, took two of the pills out before closing the bottle back up and placing it onto the counter.

Grabbing a glass from the cupboard above the sink, Egon filled it with water and took the muscle relaxing pills. Maybe he should call in tomorrow and take a half day, Egon wondered as he turned off the lights by the front door. Heading for the alcove at the back of the room, where his bed was, Egon shook his head. No, he wanted to finish that negative calibration test paper that he had started. If he was going to be handing it in on Monday he had only two days to do so. Egon was going to work tomorrow and that was that. Whether his back was hurting him or not, work had to be done.

Egon sighed, he really should be walking Eden home right now not getting ready for bed, as he pulled out his set of pajamas from under his pillow. Eden knew why he wasn't going to be there tonight but it still didn't make Egon feel any better with the situation he felt he had placed her in. Tossing the bath towel onto a nearby chair, Egon sat down on the edge of his bed to pull on his pajama bottoms. Egon worried about Eden and her roommates at night.

New York City at night could be tough and four girls walking home were an easy target for anyone wishing them harm. Eden's roommate Iris was a perfect example. Iris was the oldest of the group and had served in the Vietnam War as one of only a few women assigned to a combat zone.

Pulling back the covers of his bed, Egon slid between the sheets. In his brooding Egon forgot to set his alarm clock.

When Egon had met Iris he thought that she was very 'cold' to him and very protective of Eden. After the first week Egon had found out about Iris's background and her involvement in the Vietnam War. If Egon was harboring hatred for Peter, what 'ghosts' were Iris hiding from? Iris had a four inch scar from the corner of her mouth up to the bottom of her right ear. Egon had figured that Iris had gotten it in the war. That was until one night when Egon was at their place visiting Eden. Iris flippantly told him that she had gotten it when she had been mugged in Central Park one night. Eden had seemed a little disturbed at the remark but Egon hadn't given it a second thought. The very next night Egon had started walking the girls home from the 'Met'. Eden's apartment wasn't that far from Lincoln Center, but it was also near Central Park and Egon had been concerned that a similar incident would happen again if he wasn't there.

As Egon started to drift off to sleep his mind started to clear. Egon thought that there was something wrong with Iris's story now that he thought more about it. Iris was a person who was always 'on guard'. She saw the tiniest movements in the bushes and trees of the city. Iris also heard things before her other roommates could. Iris's story of being mugged in the park didn't sit well with Egon. Surely Iris would have heard or seen the man coming from a mile away? Mr. Pavone's words came back to haunt him.

"…**it is a part of her past that she wished hadn't happened to her. It is very personal and only a few people know about it."**

Iris was hiding something. Egon had a funny feeling that it might have something to do with Eden.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Ghostbusters II is owned by Columbia Pictures an written by Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd. I am only borrowing the parts that I need for my story.

Chapter 8

Peter held the door open for Ray as they came out of the coffee shop by the corner of 77th Street and 1st Avenue. Peter was talking to Ray as they each carried a small box filled with sandwiches and danishes. It was late, and the men had wanted to get some food for later before the store closed for the night.

"I love this." Peter said spreading his arms wide. "We're onto something really big. I can smell it, Ray. We're going to make some headlines with this one!"

The men stopped on the corner facing 1st Avenue to wait for the light to change.

Ray turned to Peter, "Hey, shut up Peter! Are you nuts?" Ray hissed, "If anybody found out about this we'd be in serious trouble. The judge couldn't have been clearer to us. No ghostbusting."

"Ray will you relax. We're going to keep this whole thing nice and quiet. At least Egon doesn't stand out like a sore thumb now." Peter said, indicating with a wave of his hand towards the man on the other side of the street.

When Ray and Peter had met Egon at Dana's apartment on Friday night, Egon had just come from the university. Egon was dressed in a business suit, complete with vest and tie, while Ray and Peter had on work pants and long sleeve plaid shirts.

"What are you doing Egon? Going to lecture whatever we find under the streets?" Peter told him, pointing at the briefcase that Egon was carrying with him.

Dana had given Egon a pair of her ex-husband's khaki pants to wear. As Egon changed in the bathroom Ray found a navy plaid shirt for him.

As the cars were going by, Ray looked across the street. He could see Egon, wearing a hardhat, and jackhammering a hole in the middle of 1st Avenue. Peter had set up safety cones and reflectors around the small area and even had some work lights too. Ray wondered how Peter had gotten everything that they had needed for the job. Ray had thought about asking Peter and had decided that he didn't want to know.

Ray looked away from Egon, up the street to his right, to see if they could cross before the light changed. His heart sank. A police car was turning right onto 1st Avenue from 75th Street.

"Uh oh! Peter look," Ray said, nudging Peter with his left elbow.

"Relax Ray," Peter said, "Maybe they won't stop."

The men followed the police car with their eyes as it cruised slowly up to the makeshift worksite.

"Keep going," Peter muttered under his breath. "Oh shit!"

The police car stopped at their worksite, as the two police officers inside tried calling to get Egon's attention.

Egon was going to kill Peter. Forget about what Charlie had said Wednesday night, Peter was dead! Egon was the last one to have a turn jackhammering up the street and it was killing his back. He was almost through the concrete too. Not able to take the constant jarring anymore Egon stopped. Did someone say something to him? All he could hear was the resonating sound of the jackhammer in his head.

"How ya doing?"

He swore he heard something. Egon looked to his right but no one was there. As he swung his head to the left he froze. Before him were two police officers sitting in a police car and they were staring at him. He was in trouble now. Where were Ray and Peter when he needed them?

"Hey buddy," the officer called again, "How ya doing?"

"Me? Fine!" Egon yelled. He couldn't hear himself, "Fine!" he repeated a little softer now that the hammering in his head was subsiding. He had to think quickly.

"It's cutting fine now." Egon said, indicating the jackhammer with a open hand.

'Oh, Egon you are a jerk. They are going to see right through you,' he thought.

"Nice, but why are you cutting?" the officer asked.

"Why am I cutting?" Egon pointed a finger at himself. Oh where was Ray? Looking up and across the street, he could see Peter followed by Ray, dodging traffic to come to his rescue.

Egon raised his voice and waved the two men over, "Uh-boss! We got a problem."

As Egon set the jackhammer down onto the ground he let out a breath. As much as Egon didn't like Peter right now, Peter was the only one who was going to sweet talk their way out of this mess. If they were found out, it was going to be a one way trip to jail.

Peter was yelling at Egon now as he crossed the street, but Egon knew it was only a show for the police officer.

"Hey, Ziggy, who told you to stop cutting?"

Egon pointed his finger at the police officer. "He did."

Peter handed his box to Ray as he leaned into the open window of the cruiser.

"Hey, did you tell my man to stop cutting?" Peter questioned.

"Yes, I told him to stop cutting." the officer replied. "What are you doing here?"

Peter pulled his head back out of the cruiser window. "What am I doing here? What the hell does it look like I'm doing here. We let you work, why don't you let us work?"

Setting the boxes down on the ground, Ray could see that the officer wasn't buying what Peter was saying.

"Look officer," Ray said, "he's been working overtime. I'll tell you why we're here. We're here because some douchebag downtown ain't got nothing better to do than make idiots like us work late on a Friday night. Am I right Peter?"

"Of course your right Raymond." Peter said, sounding tired and overworked for the officer.

"Is he right Ziggy?" Peter indicated his right hand towards Egon.

"Yo!" Egon said, giving a 'right on' fist with his left hand.

"Okay, boys you take it easy." the officer said as he pulled away.

"He bought it Peter." Ray said amazed.

"Of course they bought it, because brainiac here looks normal. Now if Egon was wearing that suit and tie he had on earlier, then they wouldn't have bought it. I told you Ray, relax." Peter said, "I've got everything under control."

Rubbing his sore back Egon said. "Your were supposed to help me with this Peter."

"Oh, Egon." Peter replied, "You needed the exercise."

Egon shook his head at Peter as Ray took over the jackhammering. Peter helped Egon as they cleared away the rubble from the hole that they were drilling. The jackhammer changed sound as it hit metal. Ray stopped the machine and set it down onto the ground. He knitted his brows together. From his research that he had done he didn't think that there were any old sewer lines here. As the men cleared away the generations of paving material they revealed an ornate iron manhole cover. The manhole cover bore a strange logo and had the letters NYPRR on it.

"What the…?" Ray trailed off. "Hey guys help me lift this."

Peter ran back to the truck that he had parked on the right hand side of 1st Avenue and came back with two crowbars. Handing the other one to Ray, the two men pried off the iron cover to reveal a very dark and deep abyss.

Ray put down his crowbar and grabbed a flashlight from his belt. Squatting down he shined the light into the hole.

"Wow!" Ray said, "It's an old airshaft. It just goes on forever."

Egon, having picked up the Giga Meter when Ray was turning on his flashlight, came over to Ray and took a reading. Carefully Egon leaned into the hole and took another reading. This one was even higher now.

"Very intense, Ray." Egon told him, "We need a deeper reading. Somebody has to go down there."

"Yeah, someone has to go down there." Ray agreed.

Peter looked at Egon and smiled. Was Egon really in tune with Peter just now? Was Peter suggesting that they send Ray down into the hole? Egon caught Peter's look and nodded yes. Standing up together Peter and Egon slowly moved their heads to look at Ray.

Ray turned his flashlight off and stood up. He looked up from the ground to see Egon and Peter looking his way, smiles upon their faces.

Ray shook his head. "Thanks, boys," was all he could say.

Peter patted Ray on the back as he went back to the truck for some equipment. "Relax Ray," Peter said as he came back with a winch, cable, and harness. "I told you I'd take care of everything."

As Peter set up the winch and cable over the hole, Egon helped Ray into the harness.

"It's been a while since I went climbing Egon." Ray told him as he hooked himself into the harness.

"Your not climbing up, your rappelling down Ray." Egon told him as he handed Ray a yellow hardhat with an attached light and microphone.

"When was the last time you did this Egon?" Ray said taking the hat from him and placing it on his head.

"Oh back in my second year of college in my archaeology class. We went to southern Colorado during the summer to Mesa Verde."

"Okay, Egon. I'm ready," Ray said walking over to the hole. "Wish me luck Peter." Ray said as Peter hooked up the cable to Ray's harness and Egon turned on the light on his hat.

"Good luck Holmes!" Peter said as Ray sat down on the edge of the hole, his feet dangling over the end.

Egon clicked on the walkie-talkie that he held in his hand. "Can you hear me Ray?"

"Yep Egon," Ray said, "the headset works. Let's role."

Egon watched as Peter turned the winch on and started Ray on his descent into the hole.

As Ray descended deeper and deeper he called out orders to Egon and Peter on the surface through his microphone.

"Keep going-more-more." Ray said, his voice echoing in the airshaft.

With only the light that was on his head, Ray rappelled off the sides of the airshaft. Peter continued to lower the cable attached to Ray.

"Lower-lower, Peter." Ray said again into his microphone.

'Gee, this really is deep.' Ray thought to himself. 'What happens when we run out of cable before I reach the bottom?'

"Whoa boys. Hold it! Steady! I'm breaking through!" Ray shouted into his microphone.

"What do you see Ray?" Peter called over the walkie-talkie to him.

Ray looked around him. He was suspended near the top of a beautifully preserved chamber with rounded, polished, tiled walls adorned with intricate, colorfully enameled Art Nouveau mosaics. As Ray moved his head, with the flashlight attached, he admired the excellent tile work before him.

Quietly speaking to Peter and Egon on the surface Ray said, "This is it boys, the end of the line. The sign reads Van Horne Station. It's the old New York Pneumatic Transit System. It's still here."

As Ray was talking, Peter looked up from running the cable to Egon's face.

"What is Mr. Holmes talking about Egon?" Peter asked.

Egon, next to Peter's left side, shook his head. "You really should have studied more in school Peter."

Egon remember back to his college days. Built by Alfred Ely Beach in only 58 days, the single tunnel was 312 feet long and 8 feet in diameter. It was completed in 1870. With no initial support for his project, Mr. Beach had started it claiming that he was building postal tubes. The initial permit was to install a pair of smaller postal tubes but was later amended to allow the excavation of a single large tunnel wherein the smaller tubes could reside. The line was built as a demonstration of a pneumatic transit system that was open to the public with fares donated to charity. It remained little more than a curiosity during its first two weeks of operation. The single car would hold 22 people on it's one-block-long track to dead-end at its terminus. The ride was controlled by a 48-ton fan, nicknamed "The Western Tornado". When the car reached the end, the baffles on the fan were reversed and the car was pulled back by the suction. The public initially approved of Mr. Beach's plan but by the time Mr. Beach gained permission in 1873, the support had waned, and the subway was closed down. The final blow was the stock market crash which caused investors to withdraw their support.

Knowing that Peter would only understand half of what he was going to say, Egon spoke to Peter in 'layman's' terms.

"Peter, the New York Pneumatic Railway was an experimental subway system. It contained fan-forced air-trains built around 1870."

"Peter," Ray said over the walkie-talkie, "this is about as deep as you can go under Manhattan without digging your own hole."

"Ray," Egon called over the walkie-talkie, "What's the reading?"

Ray picked up the Giga Meter attached to his utility belt and let out a long low whistle, "Off the top of the scale, Spengs. This place is really hot. Lower me to the floor."

As Peter fed Ray more cable, Ray followed the wall of the station down onto the floor with his light. Scared at what he saw below him, Ray shouted to Peter and Egon.

"HOLD IT! STOP!"

"Ray what's wrong?" Egon asked over the walkie-talkie.

Below him Ray saw a river of bubbling, seething, glowing pink slime. A veritable torrent of disgusting ooze running down the old tunnel.

Transfixed, Ray stared into the foul effluent, suddenly aware of strange sounds around him. Looking around him Ray finally realized that the sounds were coming from below him out of the slime. Ray listened as he heard amplified and magnified sounds of great engines throbbing and pulsing in the bowels of the city, of water rushing through pipes, steam hissing through ducts, the muffled rumble of the subway and the roar of the traffic, and mixed with it all, something else.

Ray cocked his head to the side and listened closer. Yes, it was unmistakable sounds of human conflict and pain. It scared Ray as he listened to voices shouting in anger, screaming in fear, and groaning in pain. A sad and eerie symphony that Ray couldn't get out of his head.

"Oh, my ..," Ray started to speak into the microphone and then trailed off. If he was down here for too much longer he was going to go insane. "Egon," he tried again, "It's a seething, bubbling, psychic cesspool! Interlocked tubes of plasma, crackling with negative GeV's! It's glowing and moving!"

"Ray, what do you see?" Peter asked over the walkie-talkie, clearly not understanding what Ray was talking about.

"It's ..." What word would Peter understand Ray thought. "It's a river of slime!" he shouted at Peter through his microphone. "I'm going to try to get a sample."

Egon looked Peter's way, "This isn't a good sign Peter." Egon told him.

"No, Egon it's not." Peter said as he saw a Con Ed Supervisor's car pull up and stop by their makeshift worksite.

Egon looked to where Peter was nodding his head. He didn't know why Peter had agreed with his statement. Egon had been talking about what Ray had found. Now Egon understood as he saw the same police car from earlier stopped behind the Con Ed car. A burly man was coming towards them followed by the two police officers from earlier.

"Not one word Egon." Peter hissed through clenched teeth.

"Okay, what's the story here?" the Con Ed Supervisor asked the two men.

Peter got up from the ground, where he was guiding the cable for Ray, and crossed in front of Egon to face the supervisor.

"What, I got time for this?" Peter shouted at the man, "I've got three thousand phones out in Greenwich Village. I've got about eight million miles of cable to check. You guys are going to come and shake my monkey tree again?"

"What are you talking about?" The phone lines are over there." the supervisor told Peter pointing over his shoulder to the other side of 1st Avenue.

Peter turned to Egon and popped him on the head.

"What did I tell you! The phone lines are over there Ziggy!"

Peter continued to repeatedly hit Egon on his head, while Egon tried to get away from Peter. As Peter came down with his hand once more onto Egon's head, one of the police officers came to Egon's rescue.

"Hey, knock it off!" the office told Peter, "You ain't with Con Ed or the phone company. We checked. So tell me another one."

Egon's back was killing him, from the jackhammering, and from trying to get away from Peter hitting him. He didn't have anything to say to Peter and looked at him with a blank face when Peter looked his way for help.

Seeing the cold air coming from Egon's mouth and nose as he breathed, Peter thought quickly and turned around to wave a hand over the hole. "I've got a major gas leak here." he told the police officer, "Where do you think all this is coming from, the sky?"

Ray, dangling from the end of the cable, unhooked a device from the left side of his belt. Pulling the trigger on it, it shot out a long telescoping fishing-pole with a scoop on the end. Scooping up a sample of the slime Ray started to retract the pole.

Suddenly, a grotesque arm with long skeletal fingers reached up out of the slime and snatched at Ray's dangling feet. Ray jerked his legs up, as several more arms poked up out from the slime and reached up for him.

Scared, Ray shouted into his microphone, "Haul me up Peter! Now!"

Nothing was happening. "Uh boys!" Ray tried his microphone again, holding his feet up as high as he could.

Egon heard Ray over the walkie-talkie now that Peter was done yelling at the men who stood before them.

"Help! Help! Pull me up! It's alive! It's eating my boots."

Peter turned towards the hole and bent down to turn on the winch to allow the cable to move up.

"Hold on Ray." Peter called to him down the hole, totally ignoring the police officer who had Egon by his arm now so he couldn't get away.

Finally Ray felt himself being pulled upwards and relief washed over his body, until he looked down at his feet. Approaching the airshaft, Ray could see that the slime was climbing up after him.

"Get me out of this hole!" Ray shouted as he desperately kicked wildly at the slime, accidentally knocking loose a section of a old rusting conduit.

Ray watched as the conduit fell onto a heavy electrical transmission line ripping through the cable with a shower of sparks. The live wire, now loose, danced in the airshaft and caught Ray on the lower part of his right leg.

Peter, Egon, the Con Ed Supervisor, and the police officers all jumped to the bright flash deep down in the hole and a scream from Ray.

Egon, unable to break free from the officer who was holding him, watched as Peter and the supervisor helped haul Ray to the surface. Ray was semiconscious when his face appeared. As Peter helped Ray out of the hole, Egon could see that the material of Ray's right pant leg was smoldering.

"Oh Ray, I'm sorry." Peter said as he took off his shirt and wrapped it around Ray's leg to stop the smoke.

"I'll go call for an ambulance." the Con Ed Supervisor told the other police officer as he got up to walk back to his car. As he did so one by one, all the streetlights started to go out. Egon watched as the lights on all the buildings along 77th Street flicked and went out. Egon turned his head to watch the whole neighborhood black out and finally the entire city was plunged into darkness.

"Sorry." Ray muttered before he passed out in Peter's lap.

"Arrest them!" the Con Ed Supervisor told the police officers as he made his way to his car to get an ambulance rolling.

"Let's go buddy. You're under arrest." the police officer holding Egon's arm said, "Over by the car."

Egon had no choice but to be led by the officer over to his cruiser. When they reached the cruiser the office had Egon place his hands onto the hood of the vehicle facing his body away from the officer. The officer spread Egon's feet apart and pointed his toes outward, ordering Egon to stand still. The officer asked Egon if he was carrying any concealed weapons, drugs, or drug paraphernalia to which Egon replied "No". As the officer went through Egon's pockets, turning them inside out and placing the contents onto the hood of the car, he read Egon his Miranda rights.

When the officer went to frisk or terry stop Egon his hands came to the waistband of Egon's pants. As the officer bent the material and then crushed it to detect for razor blades, Egon cried out in pain and dropped his head onto the hood of the cruiser, his hardhat falling off his head and rolling to the ground.

"Hey buddy, what's wrong?" the officer asked, "This shouldn't hurt."

"My back hurts," hissed Egon through clenched teeth.

The officer, intending to put handcuffs on Egon, told him to raise his hands above his head with his palms facing the officer. Egon tried to comply with what the officer wanted him to do but could not. As Egon raised his hands above his head, his back was stretched and the pain ran down his legs causing him to fall to his knees and cry out in agony.

Pulling a flashlight from his jacket pocket, the officer turned it on and pulled Egon's navy plaid shirt out of his khaki pants. The officer shined his light onto Egon's back to see that it was bruised.

"Hey, Jones!" the officer called to his partner, "Come take a look at this."

Officer Jones came over to the cruiser with Peter in tow, who had been handcuffed already.

"Just give me a minute." Officer Jones told his partner as he opened the back door to the cruiser and placed Peter inside. Making sure Peter didn't hit his head on the top of the cruiser, and having Peter slide his feet and legs in, he closed the door and came over to his partner at the front of the vehicle.

"What's up?" Officer Jones asked.

"What do you make of this?" his partner asked, lifting Egon's shirt up and shining his light onto Egon's back to show Officer Jones the bruising.

"I'd bet ten dollars that his partner in the cruiser did this to him. What do you say?" Officer Jones asked Egon.

"Peter didn't do this." Egon tried to explain. Egon now heard a siren in the distance. He hoped it was the ambulance for Ray.

"Look buddy," Officer Jones told Egon cutting him off, "you don't have to stick up for that guy." Officer Jones pointed over his shoulder to Peter in the backseat of the cruiser. "I saw how he repeatedly hit you over the head and every time you tried to get away he came after you. I'll help you file charges against him."

"No, Peter didn't do this." Egon tried again to explain the situation.

"Look," Officer Jones cut him off again, "Your going with your friend over there to the hospital. I want pictures of your back and anything else they might find. We'll file the report later."

Egon was led over to where Ray lay on the ground being attended to by the Con Ed Supervisor until the ambulance arrived. Egon was made to sit on the ground a few feet away. As Egon sat on the ground, his back totally killing him now, he saw the ambulance pull into view.

Two paramedics and a young teenage boy got out of the ambulance and walked over to where Ray lay on the ground. Egon could see that the teenage boy carried a yellow medical kit with him.

"What have you got Officer Jones?" the oldest man of the group asked.

"That one on the ground has a burnt leg," Officer Jones said pointing to Ray, "and that one has a bruised back." Officer Jones pointed to Egon. "I'm placing money that the guy I have in the back of my police cruiser did it."

"Thanks. Anything else we need to know." the man asked as his partner and the teenage boy went to attend Ray first.

"Yes," Officer Jones replied, "They are both under arrest so I'll be coming along with you to the hospital until I can get someone down from the precinct to stand guard at their door."

"Alright." the older man said as he came over to Egon's side.

Ten minutes later found Egon and Ray in the back of the ambulance on their way to Mount Sinai Hospital.

"All right Sal, by the numbers. What do I need to do first?"

This was asked by a younger man, a little older than Egon was, to the young teenage boy who was working on Ray.

"Well father," the boy called Sal said, "It looks to me like a superficial partial-thickness burn. Also called a second-degree burn. The symptoms include blisters, the area is moist, red, and weeping. When I press on it, the area blanches or turns white and is probably painful to the air, but since he is unconscious I don't know."

"I agree." the boy's father said, "Next."

"We need to cool the burn with running water or a cold damp cloth. No ice. That can result in more damage to the skin. Then we need to cover the burn with moist sterile gauze. I am not going to take off the clothing that is stuck to the burn, just cut the material around it. Through all this I want to make sure that he is breathing so I would give him oxygen and place a catheter and start intravenous fluids to replace those lost from the burn."

"Good." the boy's father said, "What did you forget?"

Sal cocked his head to the side and closed his eyes. Egon could see him silently mouthing words to himself as he mentally checked through what he had just said. Sal opened his eyes.

"Oh, Yes." Sal said to his father, "I want to make sure that I have items ready to intubate him if needs be. Sometimes they can go into cardiac arrest."

"Alright son, go to it." the boy's father said.

Keeping an eye on Sal in case he needed help, the boy's father then turned his attention to Egon. "What's your story?" he asked. "Why are they sending you with us for a bruised back? Officer Jones doesn't normally do that. You just go into 'lockup' with everyone else. Did something happen that he didn't like?"

"Yes," Egon replied, "Peter, that's the guy that Officer Jones had in the cruiser, was hitting me over the head. Officer Jones saw that. My name's Egon by the way and the man that your son is working on is my friend Ray."

"Nice to meet you Egon. I'm Salvador. You've met my son. He is called Salvador too, but so we don't get confused on the job I just call him Sal."

"He's pretty smart for a young teenager." Egon commented to Salvador.

"Well he better be. He has learned from a young age. His mother died recently and left me to support him alone. I don't have any relatives or family living close so my boss," Salvador indicated with a wave of his hand the older man driving the ambulance, "allows me to bring him to work with me."

Egon could see that the ambulance was pulling into the emergency entrance of Mount Sinai Hospital. The hospital at least had lights on Egon noticed. They must be running off of a generator. The ambulance stopped and the back doors opened to reveal two attending orderlies.

"Sal! Nice to see you again." one of the orderlies said, as he helped Sal move the gurney that Ray was on out of the ambulance, "How's school?"

"Good." Sal responded, handing a bag of intravenous fluids to the man. "Classes will be out for Christmas break soon, then I'll be seeing you more often."

"Glad to hear it. Take care Sal." the man said, as he and his partner wheeled the gurney through the emergency room doors.

Officer Jones, having gotten out of the passenger side of the ambulance where he had been ridding, now came to the back of the vehicle .

"Okay buddy, let's go." he said taking Egon's arm and helping him down from the back of the ambulance. "Thanks again boys. See you next time."

Egon was led into the hospital by Officer Jones. The pair went straight to triage where Egon was placed into a chair. Officer Jones handcuffed Egon's left hand to the arm of the chair and told the nurse that he would be back. He explained that he needed to call the precinct and get another officer over to Mount Sinai Hospital because the two men who they were treating were under arrest.

When Officer Jones left, the nurse took Egon's vitals and gathered all the personal information that she needed from him. Egon told her about going to St. Luke's Hospital Wednesday morning and gave her Doctor Charlie Levin's and Doctor Paul Stringham's names. The nurse said that she would place a call to them as soon as Officer Jones came back.

Egon was worried about Ray and asked Officer Jones when he came back if he could see him. Un-handcuffing Egon, Officer Jones told Egon that he would see to it that the two men could share the same hospital room together, but right now Ray was being taken care of.

During Egon's exam he was asked questions about how he hurt his back and pictures were taken by the staff for Officer Jones's records. The nurse had called the other hospital and was told that his records would be delivered Saturday morning before lunch.

Officer Jones didn't seem too happy to learn that Peter hadn't done this to him. "He's not good for you." Officer Jones had pointed out to Egon. "I can smell trouble a mile away, and that there so called 'friend' of yours reeks!"

Egon didn't have the heart to tell the officer that he agreed with his statement, Peter wasn't good for him, but he did tell the officer that Peter wasn't considered his friend anymore.

"About time you saw the light buddy. I'll see you in court on Monday." the officer told Egon as he left him.

Lying in a hospital bed now, waiting for the nurses to bring in Ray, Egon thought back over the last forty-eight hours.

Thursday morning had been a disaster. Egon had forgot to set his alarm clock the night before and had been woken up to his telephone ringing in his ear. Dean Williams was calling him to see what was wrong.

Apologizing to the Dean, Egon got up, dressed as quickly as he could, retrieved his glasses from the bathroom counter where he had left them the night before, and grabbing his muscle relaxing pills he made his way out the door headed for Columbia University.

After getting to work Egon found he was now behind by two hours. Taking two more of the muscle relaxing pills, he called Ray to let him know that he was going to have to work late and couldn't meet him for dinner. He would bring the Giga and PKE Meters on Friday to Dana's. Egon also checked in with Eden to see how she was fairing. Because Egon couldn't walk her home until Tuesday, he had made a lunch date with her for Saturday afternoon between performances. Egon also gave his 'Met' tickets for Friday, Saturday, and Tuesday night's performances to Professor Williams at the Dodge Miller Theater. Egon knew that Professor Williams would find someone who would love to go to the opera tomorrow night and the following days also. Egon smiled as he thought about it, knowing Professor Williams he would share the tickets with his brother Dean Williams, Egon's boss.

The Williams' were twin boys and did everything together. Both liked the arts but Quentin had gone on to become a Professor in the theater business, while his brother, Vernon had become a Dean in the psychology department, liking that subject better.

Egon had stayed late Thursday and Friday to finish up his negative calibration paper and left it on his desk to turn in on Monday morning. Knowing that next week was the last full week of school before the university was on Christmas break, Egon called a stop to the happiness index testing that Friday morning. He told his students that they would compile their findings and write up their reports next week before they broke for the holidays. Some of his students had asked if they could get started over the weekend, and if they handed their papers in early, if they could leave on break early also. Egon thought about it for a moment and had agreed. Egon needed a break as well. This semester had been a hard one on everyone. They all needed something new to do next year.

His students, gathering any information that they needed for their papers, had bid Egon farewell before leaving that Friday afternoon for the weekend.

The door to the hospital room now opened as an orderly and nurse wheeled a bed over to the empty spot next to Egon.

Egon sat up in bed trying to see how Ray was. Ray was conscious now as he called to his friend.

"Egon! It's good to see you. I had figured that they took you to jail with Peter when I woke up and Officer Jones read me my Miranda Rights."

"How's the leg Ray?" Egon asked as the nurse and orderly finished putting Ray's bed into place.

"The doctor in the E.R. said that they are sending a Doctor Elliott Rose to see me Saturday morning. I guess it could be worse. They are giving me pain medications so it's just a dull throbbing right now."

"Excuse me Doctor Stantz, but Doctor Spengler I have your pills for you to take for your back." the nurse told him turning to face Egon now.

The nurse took a tray with two cups on it from another nurse that had followed her into the room and offered it to Egon.

Egon had told the attending doctor during his exam that he was taking muscle relaxing pills for his back, but that he didn't have them on him. Officer Jones's partner had taken them out of his pocket during his search of Egon's clothing and hadn't given them back to him.

Egon took the cups from off the tray. One contained a pill while the other one contained water. Taking the pill and chasing it down with the water, Egon returned the cups to the tray wondering why he was only given one pill instead of two. 'Maybe it was different medicine', he thought.

"Don't stay up too late talking gentlemen." the nurse told them as she got ready to leave. "It's already after midnight and you both need to rest."

After checking Ray's intravenous fluids the nurse left the room. After she had left, Ray released a breath and turned onto his left side to face Egon. Egon watched Ray's face as he knit his brows together.

"Egon," he began, "The 'slime' that I saw under the street worries me. There's tons of it and it is alive. I heard unmistakable sounds of human suffering and pain. It was worse than any horror movie that you have ever seen!" Ray closed his eyes. "Egon, it wants me. I could sense it. It tried to pull me down into its presence."

Ray rolled onto his back, opened his eyes, and stared at the ceiling. "I don't want to go through that again." he whispered. "If I do, I think I'll go insane."

Egon thought about Ray's statement. Then it hit him.

"Ray, I've been working on negative calibration testing at Columbia University these past two and a half months."

Ray sat up in bed looking at Egon with a scared look on his face. "The university let you do that?" he questioned. "You and I had that theory over five years ago. What did you find?"

"Well, I determined that human emotions do have an impact on the environment. The more my test subjects argued the more I would gradually increase the temperature of the room, and the more heated the arguments became." Egon told Ray. "It also worked in reverse. I had one set of subjects that were polar opposites. The wife would cry more whenever the husband would yell at her. The Giga Meter would record super high-end readings whenever this happened. I theorized that the negative emotions must be forming ugly shapes somewhere. I came to call this 'psychomagnetheric'."

"That has to be it!" Ray said, stifling a yawn now. "Sorry Egon. It's the medicine that they are giving me. Can we table this discussion until tomorrow?"

"Sure Ray." Egon said watching his friend lay back down in his hospital bed and pull the sheets up higher.

Watching Ray as he drifted off to sleep, Egon was feeling a bit tired too. Now he wondered if his experiments had caused this. Ray had said that there was a lot of 'slime' down there. Enough from two and a half months worth of work? Was it feeding off the emotions of his test subjects as well as those of the city too? It sounded like it was. Lying down onto his side, Egon had another thought. Would Eden and her roommates be safe? But beyond that, would anyone in the city be safe? Would the 'slime', as Ray had told him, want more people to join it? It certainly had wanted Ray to join with it that night. Ray was scared of it. Egon could tell from the tone of his voice. If Ray was scared, Egon was going to have to watch Ray carefully. Now was not the time for Egon to lose his friend to a mental institution. He needed Ray. They had to figure this out together or there might be no hope for the future.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Ghostbusters II is owned by Columbia Pictures an written by Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd. I am only borrowing the parts that I need for my story.

Chapter 9

The phone ringing in the kitchen woke Grace up. As she opened one eye to look at her clock on the nightstand next to her bed, she wondered who was calling.

"Oh for Pete's sake," she said sitting up in bed, "This had better be good."

Her clock read seven-thirty on Sunday morning. Getting ready to toss the covers aside, Grace realized that she should not be the one to answer the phone. Turning to her left she elbowed her sleeping partner.

"Paul, wake up." she told the man sleeping next to her. "I need you to answer the phone for me."

"Why?" Paul said, stretching his arms above his head.

"Because I don't have any clothes on and you do."

"Okay, Grace." Paul said, getting out of bed and crossing to the bedroom door, the phone ringing for a third time now.

Opening the bedroom door, Paul called down the hallway to the phone, "All right, I'm coming. Keep your shirt on!"

"Hello?" Paul said, sleepily into the receiver of the phone as he leaned against the kitchen wall.

"I have a collect call from a Doctor Egon Spengler. Would you accept the charges?" a female voice asked.

Doctor Spengler! Where had he been for the past twenty-four hours? Grace told Paul on Saturday night, when he had come over, that Eden was worried about Egon. Eden hadn't heard from Egon since Friday at lunch time. Grace had told Paul that Eden was to meet Egon for an early dinner at 'Tavern on the Green' in Central Park, before Eden had to go to work that night. When Eden arrived, Egon had never shown up.

Grace, Helen, and Iris knew something was up when at intermission that night at the 'Met', Eden had asked her 'cover' to go on for her. After the performance, Eden had told her roommates what had happened. Eden had a funny feeling that something bad had happened to Egon in the black out Friday night. Eden was determined to go and look for Egon until she found him. Eden knew all the places that Egon liked to 'hang out' and she was sure she could find him in one of those places. Iris went with her. Paul knew that if anyone could find someone hiding in the streets of New York it would be Iris. Doctor Egon Spengler could be hurt and not able to call for help. Because of Iris's military training, she could sense when someone was close by. Paul knew that this would be a big help to Eden in her hunt for Egon.

Realizing that he had not answered the operator's question, Paul quickly answered, "Yes."

"Grace," Paul shouted down the hallway, as he covered the mouthpiece with his hand, "It's Doctor Spengler calling collect!"

Both Grace's and Helen's bedroom doors opened at the same time. Helen was the first one to the kitchen, as her bedroom was right across the hall. Grace's bedroom was in the front of the apartment.

"Where is he?" Helen asked Paul.

"I'm going to kill him!" Grace said running down the hallway with the bed sheet held tightly to her chest, its ends billowing out behind her.

As Grace stopped beside Paul and took the phone from him, he could see that all she had managed to put on was her underwear. Helping Grace to wrap the sheet around her naked body, Grace talked to Egon while Paul and Helen waited for her to finish.

"Yes, Doctor Spengler, I'll tell her. Nine in the morning, on Monday December the eleventh, at the courthouse. I'm glad your fine."

Grace hung up the phone.

"Well?" Helen asked.

Grace let out a breath and fell into the kitchen chair nearby. How was she going to tell this to Eden? The man that Eden loved, that had broken her heart yesterday, and had her worried to death was only a couple of blocks away and just fine.

"What about the courthouse on Monday?" Helen continued.

"Grace?" Paul asked, "What's wrong with Doctor Spengler? It's not his back again, is it?"

Grace looked up into Paul's face, a tear forming in the corner of her eye, as she answered her fiancé's question.

"Yes and No. Doctor Spengler was arrested on Friday night and then taken to Mount Sinai Hospital. His court date is Monday, Helen."

Helen's hands flew to her opened mouth, "No!"

Paul came over to Grace and sat in the chair next to her. Placing his arm around her shoulder, and pulling her close, he asked, "What did he do? Doctor Spengler doesn't act like the kind of guy that would do something to get arrested."

"He's not." Helen agreed. "I bet it was that guy called Peter that Eden told me about."

"You're correct Helen." Grace said, glad for Paul's comforting embrace. "Peter had Egon digging a hole in the middle of 1st Avenue on the hunt for paranormal activity."

"Ghosts?" Paul asked.

"Yes," Grace replied, "Eden's been having a hard time believing it too. Doctor Spengler is not only into psychology but parapsychology too."

"Now I remember where I've heard Doctor Spengler's name before." Helen said, snapping her fingers. "It was many years ago. It was in all the papers at the time. He was part of a team that caused damage to 55 Central Park West, a few blocks down from here. But they didn't call him Doctor Spengler. I think the team referred to him as 'Spengs' or 'Spengie'. That's why I didn't connect him until now."

"Well, whatever he has done, Eden has to know." Paul said to Helen.

"Yes, Paul you're right." Grace sighed. "Let's go and find that 'Little Duck'."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Eden sat in the gallery of the courtroom, on the left hand side, right behind the partition. She was waiting to see Egon for the first time since Wednesday afternoon and her stomach was doing somersaults.

Eden and Iris had stayed up all Saturday night searching the city for Egon. Looking into every place that Eden knew where Egon would have gone, she had finally given up and sat down on a park bench in Riverside Park, near Egon's studio apartment. Crying her heart out to Iris that she felt Egon had left her, Iris told Eden that she was wrong.

"He's not Ben."

Eden looked up into Iris's face. Ben. Why had Iris brought him up now? Ben who had physically hurt her and Iris. Eden shivered at the thought.

"Eden," Iris said placing a hand on her arm, "Egon hasn't left you. Trust me, I feel it. Something must have happened to him that he probably couldn't control. I've watched him with you and I trust him over Ben any day."

Iris went to call the apartment to see if Helen and Grace had any news. That's when Grace told Iris about Egon calling and to come home.

The door to the courtroom being opened caused Eden to look behind her. Three men were being led through the gallery of the courtroom, followed by a short man with glasses carrying a bunch of books in his arms.

Eden didn't recognize the first man, but she knew the two men behind him very well. Egon, followed by Ray, were walking up the aisle towards her. Relief flooded over Eden, as Egon turned his head and smiled at her as he passed her row and went through the swinging doors of the partition. Egon stopped by the chair in front of her. Turning his chair around, Egon sat down and reached over the partition to take Eden's right hand.

"Eden I'm so sorry about Saturday." Egon said, "I couldn't call you to tell you what had happened until Sunday morning, and then Grace told me that you were not there. I'm glad to see that you got the message."

Eden smiled at Egon as she squeezed his left hand. Egon took his right hand and brushed away a tear that had slid down her cheek.

"Eden I'll understand if you don't want to see me after this." Egon dropped his head to the floor unable to look her in the face anymore.

Eden saw Ray place his left hand onto Egon's left shoulder and nodded his head her way. Eden knew what Ray was trying to tell her and Egon. It wasn't either one of their faults about what had happened on Friday night. They shouldn't lay blame on each other.

Eden nodded her head toward Ray. She understood, but would Egon forgive himself. Releasing Egon's hand and taking his face into her hands she leaned forward over the partition and kissed him on his lips.

"Egon," she said releasing him and setting back into her seat. "Remember what I told you last Monday night at my apartment?"

Egon nodded his head. "Yes." he said.

He knew what Eden was telling him. That no matter what happened to them, she still loved him and believed in him.

"Egon we will get through this together." Eden told him as the bailiff called for everyone to rise as the judge entered the courtroom.

Turning his chair around, Egon sat back down as the judge settled himself into his seat. Eden leaned over the wooden barrier and whispered to Egon.

"Remember this, I love you."

Leaning back Eden waited for Egon's trial to begin. She had made up her mind. Eden would stand by Egon no matter what happened. Iris was right. This man wasn't Ben. Egon had apologized to her and she knew he felt bad over what he had put her through. Ben on the other hand, had never once said that he was sorry to her. Ben had put everything onto her shoulders in their relationship. Ben told her that she was the cause of the problem that she had found herself in, that one fine spring night in June of last year, before she had met Egon the following year.

Eden was sure that if Egon had been the one standing there as she had shown the test paper to Ben that horrible night, that Egon would have taken her into his arms and made her feel loved. Ben had not. Deciding to backhand her across the face instead.

"Eden."

Someone was calling her name. It was a voice that she should know. Looking to her right, Eden was surprised to see Dana standing in the aisle next to the first man that had walked into the courtroom in front of Egon.

"Dana!" Eden said, surprise in her voice, "Well now, how are you doing. I haven't seen you in forever."

"Yes, I know." Dana told her handing her a piece of paper. "This is my phone number. Call me please. I want to thank you for being so kind to me when I was pregnant."

Eden took the paper from her as Dana turned towards the man.

"I wish I could stay Peter. I feel personally responsible for you being here." Dana told him.

"You are personally responsible," Peter told Dana with a wink, "If I can get conjugal rights, will you visit me?"

"Peter please don't say that. You won't go to prison." Dana spoke softly.

Eden turned her attention back to Egon in front of her. The small man with the glasses and books was talking to Ray and Egon in front of the defense table.

"I think you're making a big mistake here, guys. I do mostly tax law and some probate stuff occasionally. I got my law degree at night school." he told them.

"That's fine Louis," Ray said, "We got arrested at night."

The man named Louis walked away, as Ray dropped his head onto the table.

"We're dead Egon." Ray said, his voice muffled from his arms over his head.

Eden's heart sank. This was serious. What was going on that Dana, Ray, and Peter were worried about jail time?

Jack Hardemeyer, the mayor's principal aide, Eden knew from the television, answered her unspoken question as he came smiling up to the defense table.

"Nice going gentlemen. Violating a judicial restraining order, willful destruction of public property, fraud, and malicious mischief. See you in a couple of years. At your first parole hearing." sneering Mr. Hardemeyer left the courtroom.

Louis came back over to take a seat at the defense table next to Ray.

"Gee," Louis said, "the whole city's against us. I think I'm going to be sick."

Eden saw Egon pass a wastebasket Louis's way.

"Here," Egon told Louis, "Keep this between you and Ray. You're going to need it."

The judge, a rather sour-looking man, raised his gavel and brought it down onto his bench, to call the courtroom to order. After everyone had taken their seats he spoke.

"My name is Judge Stephen Wexler and before we begin this trial I want to make one thing very clear. The law does not recognize the existence of ghosts. I don't believe in them either, so I don't want to hear a lot of malarkey about goblins, and spooks, and demons. We're going to stick to the facts in this case and leave the ghost stories for the kiddies. Is that understood? Prosecutor?"

"Yes, Your Honor." A very sober, humorless woman in her late thirties stood up from the table on the other side of the room.

"Defense?" Judge Wexler asked.

"Yes, Your Honor." Louis said in a squeaky voice rising from his chair as well.

"All right. All right. Let's get on with it." Judge Wexler said waving a hand at the prosecutor.

The first two people that the prosecutor called as her witnesses were the two police officers from Friday night. Officer Jones and his partner.

Officer Jones and his partner, attested to seeing Egon jackhammering up the street when he and his partner had first made their initial stop and asked what the men were doing. After they had left, Officer Jones's partner had called Con Ed and the phone company, only to find out that no one in the phone company had anyone on 1st Avenue that night. Con Ed said that they had a team of three men out, but that they were suppose to be on 3rd Avenue and 76th Street. The Con Ed Supervisor met up with Officer Jones and his partner on 3rd Avenue and 76th Street to find his three men working there. Officer Jones told the Con Ed Supervisor that the men he saw now were not the same ones as before.

Getting into his police cruiser, Officer Jones and his partner followed the Con Ed Supervisor down 76th Street to 1st Avenue. The same guys he had seen earlier that evening were still there. Officer Jones told the Judge that he saw Peter hitting Egon over the head and had sent Egon and Ray to Mount Sinai Hospital, as Ray had burnt his leg causing the blackout and Egon had bruises on his back. Officer Jones had been sure that Peter had caused the bruising, until the hospital had received records from St. Luke's Hospital late Saturday evening.

As Eden listened she knew that because of the city blackout the hospitals would be down to generators only. Grace had told her this one time, when Eden had asked her what would happen if they ever lost power at her work. The generators were for emergency purposes only, and as such copying records, elective surgeries, and other non essential items were left undone, until such time that the power came back on.

Officer Jones concluded his testimony, after which Louis and Judge Wexler asked him some questions. When they were done Officer Jones was free to go.

The prosecutor then called her next witness, the Con Ed Supervisor to the stand.

"Mr. Fianella," she said, walking by a table that contained three proton packs, a couple of ghost traps, the Giga Meter, a PKE Meter, and other detection devices, along with a large beaker full of pink slime. "Please look at Exhibit's A through F on the table here. Do you recognize any of this equipment?"

"Yes, that's the stuff the cops took from their truck." Mr. Fianella said.

"Do you know what this equipment is used for?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Mr. Fianella turned his face to the judge and said, "I don't know. Catching ghosts, I guess."

That was just what the prosecutor had wanted to hear, Eden could see, as she smiled crossing over to her table and picked up some papers she had on the edge.

Turning around and walking across the 'well', the open space between the bench and the counsel tables, she presented the judge with her papers.

"May I remind the court that the defendants are under a judicial restraining order that specifically forbids them from performing services as paranormal investigators and eliminators."

Louis, taking down notes, had to be elbowed in the ribs by Ray, to get up and retrieve a copy of the restraining order that the prosecutor had given Judge Wexler. As Louis came back across the 'well' to the defense table Judge Wexler was heard to say, "So noted."

"Now Mr. Fianella," the prosecutor said as she crossed the 'well' to the exhibit table and picked up the large beaker containing the pink slime that Ray had removed from under the street, "Can you identify the substance in this jar marked Exhibit F?"

Walking across the 'well' to the witness box she handed him the beaker.

"Yea, that's the stuff." Mr. Fianella said taking the beaker from her. "Your Honor," Mr. Fianella turned his head to the judge, "I've been working underground for Con Ed for twenty-seven years now and I never saw anything like this in my life. We checked out Van Horne Station the next day and we didn't find anything. If this stuff was down there, they must have put it there." Mr. Fianella finished and pointed his finger at Ray, Egon, and Peter.

"NO WE DIDN'T!" Ray shouted at Mr. Fianella, rising from his seat.

Egon and Louis struggled to get Ray to settle back down into his seat as Judge Wexler yelled "Shut Up!" at him and used his gavel to call his courtroom back to order. Finally giving up, the judge called a recess and left his bench.

As the judge left the courtroom, Ray turned to Egon.

"Hey, I didn't imagine it." Ray told Egon defensively, "There must have been thousands of gallons of it down there. Where did it all go?"

Egon thought about it and then told Ray, "It may be ebbing and flowing from some tidal source."

"Should I say that Doctor Spengler?" Louis asked nervously.

"No Louis," Egon told him, "I doubt that they'd believe us."

Louis moaned and went back to his notes and books.

Taking advantage of the recess Egon turned around to talk to Eden again.

"Eden you don't have to stay. It is only going to get worse. We are up next." Egon inclined his head Louis's way.

Eden knew what Egon didn't want to say aloud. He didn't want to hurt Louis's feelings, but Eden had seen Louis questioning Officer Jones and knew that Egon, Ray, and Peter were in deep trouble. Leaning over the partition, Egon whispered to Eden so that the others wouldn't hear him.

"Look Eden," he sighed, "I guess what I really want is for you not to see me sent to jail."

Eden sat there as Egon continued. "Last time I was in a courtroom I only got fined. I have a bad feeling that this judge is going to throw the book at us."

"Eden, I'm sorry." Egon said as he dropped his face to the ground, "I think that you aren't going to see me for awhile."

"Egon you don't think that Judge Wexler is going to sentence you to jail are you?" Eden said leaning her body forward.

"Yes Eden, I do." Egon quietly told her. "The last judge was crystal clear. Any paranormal investigation or eliminations and we would be facing up to a year in jail." Egon paused then continued. "Eden if that happens could you do me a favor?"

"Yes, anything."

"Would you be able to pack up my studio apartment and office at Columbia University and store it until I'm released. I have a savings account which I'll put you in charge of to pay the rent."

"Egon you're not going to go to jail…" Eden trailed off as the bailiff called the courtroom to rise as Judge Wexler entered the room.

"Yes, Eden I'm sure I am." Egon said sitting back down, his back to her.

Egon was not happy and he knew Ray wasn't either. As Egon looked Ray's way he could only hope that the two would be able to share the same cell.

Ray sensed that someone was staring at him. As Louis got up out of his chair, Ray looked to his left and saw Egon's scared face. Swallowing a lump in his throat, Ray placed his left hand onto Egon's right arm and gave it a squeeze as Peter got up and stopped in front of the table.

Pretending to fix his tie Peter whispered to Egon and Ray.

"Relax. I've got this one under control boys."

Peter walked away from the defense table, crossed the 'well', and up to the witness box.

"Ray."

"Yes, Egon?"

"I think you had better pass me that wastebasket."

"Why?" Ray said removing his hand from Egon's arm, to retrieve the wastebasket that sat on the floor to his right.

"Because I think I'm going to be sick."

"Get in line."

Eden watched as Louis questioned Peter on the stand, only something wasn't right. As Louis questioned Peter, she could see that Peter was actually quietly feeding Louis the lines.

"So like you were just trying to help out a friend that was scared. You didn't really mean to do anything bad and you really love the city and won't ever do anything like this again."

"Objection, Your Honor." the prosecutor said, standing up her hands upon the table in front of her.

"What?" Louis asked her.

"He's leading the witness." the prosecutor told the judge.

"The witness is leading him! Sustained!" Judge Wexler said.

"Okay," Louis said as the prosecutor stared at him. "Let me rephrase that question. Doctor Venknam didn't you once coach a basketball team for underprivileged children?"

"Yes," Peter said, "Yes I did. We were city champs."

"Objection. Irrelevant and immaterial." the prosecutor said.

"Sustained." Judge Wexler said, "Mr. Tully, do you have anything to ask this witness that may have some bearing on this case?"

Louis looked to Peter. "Do I?" he asked.

"No, I think we've helped them out enough already." Peter told Louis.

"No, I guess not." Louis told the judge. Turning and crossing the 'well' to the defense table Louis hissed at the prosecutor, "Your witness."

Eden saw the prosecutor rise up from her chair and cross to the front of her desk, a sneer upon her face.

"So, Doctor Venknam, could you please tell the court why is it that you and your co-defendants took it upon yourselves to dig a very big hole in the middle of 1st Avenue?" she asked.

"Well," Peter said rolling his eyes, "there are so many holes in 1st Avenue that we really didn't think that anyone would notice."

"Keep that up, mister, and I'll find you in contempt." Judge Wexler sternly told Peter.

"I'm truly sorry Your Honor." Peter told him.

Unbeknownst to everyone in the courtroom, on the exhibit table, the beaker of slime bubbled once at the rising emotions from the judge and then subsided.

After everyone stopped laughing in the gallery, the prosecutor continued.

"I'll ask you again, Doctor Venknam. Why were you digging the hole? And please remember that you are still under oath." the prosecutor asked.

"Look," Peter said, "there are things in this world that go way beyond human understanding. Things that can't be explained and that most people don't want to know about. That is where we come in." Peter said waving his hand towards Ray and Egon.

Ray and Egon looked to each other and nodded their heads. Maybe they were going to be fine after all.

The prosecutor wasn't impressed as she walked across the 'well' towards Peter.

"So what you are saying is that the world of the supernatural is your exclusive province?" she asked leaning over and placing her folded hands upon the wooden railing to the witness box.

Peter leaned forward and placed a hand upon hers and called her "Kitten." The prosecutor immediately took her hands from under Peter's and moved backwards away from him. Peter a little taken back continued his thought.

"What I'm saying is that sometimes shit happens, someone has to deal with it, and who are you going to call?"

The whole gallery erupted into cheers and clapping, as the judge once again tried to regain order and control of his courtroom.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Eden sighed. It was turning out to be a long day. After Peter had testified the judge called a lunch break. After lunch, Ray and then Egon had testified to their involvement Friday night. The prosecutor had given her final arguments to the judge and now it was Louis Tully's turn.

Judge Wexler asked Louis, "Does the counsel for the defense wish to make any final arguments?"

Louis rose from his chair shaking. "Yes, Your Honor. May I approach the bench?"

Impatiently tapping his pen Judge Wexler answered Louis. "Yes."

Louis crossed the 'well' to stand in front of the judge, paralyzed with fear.

"Get on with it, counselor!" Judge Wexler said, raising his voice at Louis.

Once again the slime on the exhibit table bubbled but this time it didn't subside. It seamed to be waiting for something. If Ray or Egon would have looked its way, they would have sworn that the substance was being controlled by something or someone.

"Your Honor," Louis started to speak, "Ladies and gentlemen of the…" he trailed off as he turned towards the jury box, only to realize that there was no one there. Continuing to turn his body Louis continued his statement, "…of the audience. I don't think that it's fair to call my clients frauds. Okay, the blackout was a big problem for everyone. I was stuck in an elevator for two hours and had to go to the bathroom the whole time, but I don't blame them because one time I turned into a dog and they helped me. Thank you."

Louis crossed the 'well' back to the defense table and sat down into his chair. Ray hung his head as Egon told Louis. "Very good Louis, short but pointless."

Judge Wexler stared at Louis, astonishment written on his face.

"That's it? That's all you have to say!" he raised his voice again to Louis.

The slime bubbled again. It had been waiting for this moment. It was going to enjoy what was to come.

"Did I forget something?" Louis asked turning towards Ray and searching through a disorderly pile of notes.

Rubbing his head in disbelief the judge told Louis. "That was unquestionably the worst presentation of a case I've ever heard in a court of law! I ought to cite you for contempt and have you disbarred!"

The slime now gurgled with happiness. This is what it wanted.

Judge Wexler stopped rubbing his head and picked up a piece of paper from his bench.

This was it, Eden knew. The time for judgment. She had seen it only once before when she had been a witness for Iris's trial. That was why Iris and the rest of her roommates were not here. No one wanted to relive that day. Having only little knowledge of what had actually happened because she had been unconscious, was enough for the judge in Iris's case to find her not guilty.

Eden didn't think Egon was going to fair as well and was worried for him. How was he going to cope being locked up i feet cell? She knew that he would indeed suffer in his mind, if not in his body. Egon had to always be working on something with his hands and mind. She had seen it. Egon had to be busy tinkering, building, perfecting, inventing. His mind had to stay active. If it wasn't, Eden probably knew that given some time Egon would get depressed. Eden had seen Egon change from the first time she had met him in January until now. Was Egon depressed when he stood there that January night outside the 'Met', following her around with his program clutched to his chest? Oh! Eden now had a darker thought and wondered if it was true. Egon had looked so dark in spirit that day, caring little what he had looked like.

Eden knew the feeling. She had been that way once. She had felt that no one had wanted her and no one would miss her. She had thought about suicide. She had been working out a way in her mind to do so when the phone had rung. It was the 'Met'. She was needed to cover for Renee Fleming that night. Eden had accepted. Knowing that Carmen is killed at the end of the opera by her lover Don Jose, Eden had sung her heart out. Wishing she would have died that lonely June night by the one that she had considered her lover at the time. At the end of the performance Eden was going to go through with her plan of ending her life. That's when everything changed. Being greeted to a street full of people, when she left the 'Met', who wanted her, needed her to sing for them, Eden had been changed for the better.

Did her Egon have the same thoughts of suicide that night too? Had she saved him in more than one way?

Letting out a small gasp, as the judge yelled at Egon, Ray, and Peter to stand up, she was sure of it. Egon's words were clear now in her head.

"_You have given me hope to go on living."_

Now she knew what they meant, as she turned her attention towards Judge Wexler.

"Peter Venknam, Raymond Stantz, Egon Spengler, stand up!"

Not standing up as quickly as he would have liked, Judge Wexler yelled again.

"Get Up!"

Now all three men were on their feet. Glancing up from his paper to see that Louis Tully wasn't standing, the judge told him to stand also.

"I find you guilty on all charges." he bellowed at them. "I order you to pay fines in the amount of $25,000.00 each and I sentence you to eighteen months in the city correctional facility at Ryker's Island!"

Egon's heart sank and he hung his head. He knew that this was going to happen, but now as it was actually occurring he was in shock. It was the same court system again from five years ago. He had only about $4,000.00 in his bank account for Eden to store his personal items with. What if they took that away from him? How was he going to pay for storage of his items and another bill for $25,000.00? He wouldn't under any circumstances go back to work for his Uncle Cyrus. He would rather die. Suddenly feeling very weak, Egon grabbed the table for support, the judge still yelling at them.

"And on a more personal note, let me go on record as saying…"

Ray tapped Egon with the back of his hand. "Uh-oh, she's twitching." Ray told Egon.

"…that there is no place in decent society for fakes…" the judge continued.

Egon looked to where Ray was pointing. There on the exhibit table the slime was in its prime, pulsing and swelling towards the lid.

"Uh, Your Honor…" Egon said raising his right hand to get the judges attention.

"Shut Up!" Judge Wexler bellowed at Egon and continued, "…charlatans…"

Egon elbowed Peter and pointed to the slime on the table. The lid was almost off the beaker as the slime started to bubble towards overflowing.

Peter raised his hand now to get the judges attention. "Your Honor, this is important!"

Ignoring Peter the judge continued his rampage. "…and tricksters like…"

"Ray, your turn now." Peter hissed.

"…you who prey on the gullibility of innocent people!" Judge Wexler yelled.

"Yes sir." Ray told him.

"Be quiet!" Judge Wexler cut him off.

"But…" Ray tried again pointing to the exhibit table.

"You're beneath the contempt of this court!" Judge Wexler bellowed.

The slime was now a full rapid rolling boil, as it took the lid off of the beaker and poured out over the sides and started to gather onto the table.

"And believe me, if my hands were not tied by the unalterable fetters of the law, a law which has become in my view far too permissive and inadequate in its standards of punishment…" the judge continued.

Giving up on trying to get the judges attention, Egon, Ray, and Peter stared at the 'slime'. Ray swore he could hear the slime saying, "More. Give me more!" A slight wind had come up. The kind that typically signified a ghost was nearby. The men had felt this before. Anticipating trouble Ray looked into Egon's face as Egon pointed towards the floor with his hands.

"Eden." Egon hissed at her, "Get down on the floor now!"

Eden couldn't see what Egon was looking at, but she trusted him and slid out of her chair and onto the floor behind the wooden partition.

The slime bubbled, oozed, and grew, sending up small electrical waves. "Almost there. More! More!" it said. A low rumbling tremor coming off of it now.

"…I would invoke the tradition of our illustrious forbearers, reach back to a sterner, purer justice and have you burned at the stake!" Judge Wexler screamed.

"Yes." the slime said, "That's it! Now release us!"

Judge Wexler rose up out of his seat and picking up his gravel, brought it down onto the bench in front of him.

"Free!" the slime said, only it wasn't the slime saying this. Two distinct male voices could be heard inside the courtroom.

Suddenly all hell broke loose as two full-torso apparitions exploded out of the beaker to stand in the air on either side of the judge in the 'well'. The gallery erupted into screams and shouts from the people there as they tried to make their way to the exits.

The wind was now roaring in the courtroom, papers flying everywhere, as Egon yelled to Eden to stay down.

"Wow!" Ray shouted above the chaos.

Judge Wexler, paralyzed with fear, stared at the two ghosts that he recognized immediately.

"The Scoleri Brothers!" he said.

They had been large men in life, now ever bigger in death, the ghostly Scoleri Brothers were at least ten feet tall. Both were strapped into electric chairs with metal electrocution caps on their heads. Live sparking electrical wires are still attached to the caps as twenty-five hundred volts of electricity shot through their bodies. The Scoleri Brothers struggled against the leather restraints, trying to break free to get to Judge Wexler.

Finally breaking free, the Brothers made a dive at the judge, who jumped off of his bench and onto the floor of the 'well' before his chair erupted into a fire bomb. Judge Wexler crawled over to the defense table where Ray, Egon, Peter, and Louis were hiding, watching the scene before them.

"It's the Scoleri Brothers!" he told them.

"Friends of yours?" Ray asked.

"I tried them for murder." Judge Wexler told Ray. "They were electrocuted up at Ossining in 1948. Now they want to kill me."

"Maybe they just want to appeal." Peter said.

"You've got to do something!" Judge Wexler yelled, as he tore a paper away from his face.

Egon, now fed up at the judge said, "Why don't you just tell them you don't believe in ghosts?"

Ray nodded his head. Give it to him Egon he thought. Let him know how we have felt these past five years. Ray let out a shout along with everyone else as the defense table was lifted into the air. Following Judge Wexler, Ray and his friends, along with Louis, went behind a wall behind the judge's bench. The judge was heading for his quarters. Grabbing the door knob and finding it locked, Judge Wexler pounded on it, only to hear a ghostly goulash laugh from one of the Brothers.

One of the Scoleri Brothers had locked the door on him.

Judge Wexler turned around and grabbed Ray by his lapels, shaking him back and forth.

"You've got to stop them. Help me!" he shouted at Ray.

Looking through the clear part of the frosted glass window in front of him, Egon could hear Louis talking to the judge about a 're-strangement' order. Knitting his brows together and looking Louis's way for only a short moment, Egon went back to what he was doing. Where was Eden? Did she make it out of the gallery in time? Is she hurt? He couldn't see anyone, but now he heard a woman screaming.

"Eden!" Egon shouted, running for the end of the wall. Carefully looking around it, as Louis dropped down underneath him, and Ray looked over his shoulder, Egon's heart did a dance. It wasn't Eden screaming, it was the prosecutor. The heavier set Scoleri Brother, had the prosecutor by one leg, carrying her screaming through the gallery and out the doors into the lobby area, to send the people there screaming and running away once again.

"Egon?" Eden asked, poking her head out from behind a pillar near the wall.

"Stay there Eden. I'll be right back."

Egon followed the others back behind the wall, the judge screaming and pulling his hair. As the group stopped before Judge Wexler's chamber doors, Peter smiled. What was his plan?

"You're next bubbles." Peter told the judge.

Pausing for only a moment, knowing that these men before him could help him if he only did just one thing. He raised his hands off of his head and brought them down.

"All right! All right! I'm rescinding the order. Case dismissed!" he told Peter.

Louis excited, almost dancing, stated to himself, "Hooray! I've won a case."

"Yes." Egon said relieved. Ray giving him a smack on his back. Now Egon was free. Free to do what he loved to do. A great weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. He felt great.

"Now do something!" Judge Wexler yelled at Louis.

Ray put a hand on the judge's shoulder. "Boys," he said. "Let's go to work."

Walking tall, the three men walked around the wall and over to the exhibit table, where their proton packs were being displayed as evidence.

"Egon?" Eden ran towards him stopping at the wooden partition. "I'm sorry I didn't believe you Monday night. Truly I am. I'll never doubt anything outrageous that you tell me again."

Egon came towards her and hugged her over the partition. "Eden, it's okay. I want you to be safe. We'll talk about this later. Please go outside. It will be safer there. This may get dangerous."

"No. I'm staying." Eden said, breaking her embrace and placing a foot on the top of the partition, she climbed over to stand next to Egon.

"Then stay with Louis please." Egon said leading Eden over to the small man with glasses.

Peter struggling to put his proton pack on was complaining. "Geez, I forgot how heavy these things are."

Egon squeezed Eden's hand and then walked over to Ray, who was holding the proton pack for Egon to put on. Putting his arms through the straps of the 'Alice pack frame' and adjusting the kidney pad, Egon buckled up the small plastic quick release waist strap, and then turned around to help Ray on with his pack.

"You know its been a couple of years since we used this stuff. I hope these things still work." Peter said pulling his neutrona wand off of his cyclotron.

"They should." Egon told Peter, pulling his neutrona wand off the side of his cyclotron too. "The power cells have a half life of five thousand years."

"Well there's no time for a bench test." Ray told Egon, his neutrona wand already in his hands. "Heat 'em up!"

Flipping on the 'activate' switch on his trigger box, Peter sang. "Do."

Ray was next, flipping on the 'activate' switch on his trigger box. "Re." he sang.

Egon was last and was suppose to sing 'Mi' but as he flipped the 'activate' switch on his trigger box, he changed his mind. He was in such a good mood. He hadn't felt this free in years. A sly smile crossed his face as he sang. "Egon." Peter looked at him funny and shook his head.

Turning his attention back to the courtroom it was quiet. Too quiet. A slight wind started blowing again in his hair. Turning to find where it was the strongest, Egon realized it was coming from the other end of the gallery near the lobby doors. The Scoleri Brothers were not visible to the naked eye as they started to toss the gallery's chairs into the air, working their way row by row forward, until they reappeared just out of reach of the proton streams that Ray, Peter, and Egon sent their way with their neutrona wands. Floating above the men's heads they disappeared into the wall on the other side of the 'well'. Ray, Peter, and Egon shut off their proton streams.

"Ray." Egon said, bending over slightly, pain upon his face.

"Egon!" Ray said, coming to his side. "What happened? Did they hurt you?"

"No, Ray." Egon said, "I hurt myself. I forgot how much 'kick back' you get from the neutrona wand when the proton streams are on. My back is gone. I don't think I can hold or capture them in my condition."

"Work the trap Egon." Ray said as he felt the wind change directions.

Egon and Peter felt it too. The Scoleri Brothers were back.

Appearing out of the wall behind the judge's bench, the heavier set Scoleri Brother went after Peter. Peter went after the ghost with the proton stream in capture mode as he yelled at it.

"Come on fat boy. I'm going to take you home to my private zoo!"

Crossing the 'well' and going through the swinging partition doors, Peter's proton stream finally wrapped itself around the Scoleri Brother.

"Yee Haw!" Peter shouted.

"You got him Peter. You got him." Ray shouted pointing at Peter, clearly excited.

Ray was having the most fun that he had had in years.

"Spengie, bring the trap." Ray beckoned to Egon.

"Okay, Okay. Egon said, grabbing the ghost trap off of the exhibit table.

As Egon turned around, he saw the other Scoleri Brother appear and start to go after Ray.

"Ray, behind you." Egon beckoned with the ghost trap and ducked down out of the way of Ray's proton stream.

Placing his proton stream on capture mode, Ray went after the ghost and caught him in his proton stream as the Scoleri Brother tried to take another run at Ray.

"You've got him Ray. Peter, start bringing yours back." Egon shouted.

"Come on fat boy, let's go." Peter told his ghost.

"Steady…" Ray called to Peter. "Watch your stream. Easy now Peter. Start bringing him left."

"Okay the trap's going in." Egon yelled at Peter and Ray sliding the ghost trap out in front of him across the 'well'. "Start bringing them down, easy."

Ray and Peter worked together, shortening their proton streams, and placing them into trap mode, as they brought the Scoleri Brothers together, and over the ghost trap, lowering them to the ground at the same time.

When Ray and Peter were in just the right position Egon called out. "Okay Ray, I'm opening the trap."

Egon stepped on the control pedal to open the ghost trap, looking to his left to avoid looking directly at the open trap. The Scoleri Brothers were now trapped in an inverted pyramid of light energy, as Ray and Peter shut off their proton streams, pulled their neutrona wands away, and turned their faces away from the open trap as well. Screaming, the Scoleri Brothers were drawn down into the ghost trap which snapped shut. LED lights on the outer casing started to flash, indicating the presence of a ghost inside the trap as Peter, Ray, and Egon walked back towards it.

"Two in the box!" Ray said smiling.

"Ready to go!" Egon continued enjoying every moment.

"We be fast!" Peter chimed in now.

"And they be slow!" all three men said together, pointing at the ghost trap on the ground.

Louis and Eden came out from behind the wall where the judge's chambers were.

"Are they gone?" Eden asked a little shaken up by what she just witnessed.

"Yes, Eden." Egon told her coming over to hug her to his side.

Kissing the top of her head Egon told Eden. "It's time to celebrate. Who wants to come with us?" he asked.

"Where are you going?" Ray asked, as he watched Louis curiously come over to the ghost trap that lay smoking in the middle of the 'well'.

"I owe Eden a dinner out. We are going to 'Tavern on the Green'." Egon announced.

"Count me out." Louis said, nudging the ghost trap with his toe. "That's where I was turned into a Terror Dog."

Smiling Peter nodded his head towards the gallery doors.

"Ready for our big comeback?" Peter asked, crossing the 'well', to walk up the aisle of the gallery to stand before the doors that led to the lobby.

Egon came to stand behind Peter on his right, Eden in tow, standing taller than he had in many years. He was ready.

Ray came up to Peter's left side with Eden between him and Egon. Ray grabbed Eden's left hand, holding it tight.

"Are you ready for this Miss Eden Parnell?" Ray asked her.

"No." she replied.

"Neither were we when we first started." Peter told her. "Louis you're in on this too. Bring the trap and follow my lead."

Louis picked up the smoking ghost trap and walked up the aisle to stand next to Egon on his right.

"Ready?" Peter asked turning around to face the gallery doors.

"Ready." the rest called in unison.

Peter opened the gallery door wide and marched out to the reporters and spectators in the lobby.

Stopping a short distance outside of the courtroom Peter said, "We're the best. We're the beautiful. We're the only, Ghostbusters!"

The spectators cheered and applauded, as the reporters started to take their pictures for the local newspaper and news that night. Ray shouted above them all.

"**WE'RE BACK!"**


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: Ghostbusters II is owned by Columbia Pictures an written by Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd. I am only borrowing the parts that I need for my story.

Chapter 10

Egon stood in front of his bookcase in his office at Columbia University, an old book in his hands. Turning it over he read the title, College Chemistry. Why had he kept this book? It was his first college course book that he had gotten when he was ten. He had received the book as a Christmas present. The book, with its dog-eared burnt pages that were falling out, was Egon's first glimpse into the world of Chemistry. But why had he kept it all these years? His mother had wanted to throw the book away when Egon had discovered a chemical reaction that had almost burnt down the garage and his room above it. Complaining to Edison, Katherine was on the verge of tears.

"He burnt the house down Edison!"

"Only part of it." Edison told Katherine hugging her close. "I'll rebuild it with Cyrus's help. Look on the bright side, at least Egon wasn't killed in the fire."

That was it! Feeling faint, Egon backpedaled a couple of steps to fall into the chair on the other side of his desk. The same chair that Dana and Dean Williams had sat in just weeks before. Edison had given Egon the book, that was why he had kept it. Egon still loved his father all these years later, even thought he knew that his father did not. Heaving a sigh, Egon looked away from the book in his hands. This was turning out to be harder than he had thought.

It was Sunday afternoon on December the 17th. Columbia University classes were out for three weeks until the new year. Egon had only been back here Thursday and Friday of last week.

After their day in court, Peter had gotten the judge to sign an order to give the 'Ghostbusters' back the firehouse and Ray's home. Egon had spent Tuesday and Wednesday with Ray building the newer, bigger, containment unit that he had drawn up months ago. Both Egon and Ray had missed their recheck appointments on Wednesday, as they were busy and had lost track of time. Egon's was with Charlie for his back and Ray's was with Doctor Rose for his leg. Ray had even missed his group class with Charlie that Wednesday night.

On Saturday afternoon at Mount Sinai Hospital Doctor Elliotte Rose, a board certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon, had come to look at Ray's burnt leg. It was a superficial partial-thickness burn, Doctor Rose had told Ray as he examined the leg. In layman's terms, a second degree burn. Doctor Rose had told Ray not to break the blisters and to clean the area with mild soap and water.

"If some of the burned skin comes off with the washing don't be concerned." Doctor Rose told Ray. "That just means it is healing."

Ray was to put an ointment on the burn, and once the blisters had broken open, he was to bandage the area using a nonstick dressing.

For the first twenty-four hours Ray had his leg elevated to decrease the chance of swelling. Being confined to bed, he and Egon had done Charlie's experiment.

Pretending that Ray was Peter, Egon had gone down his list from memory. Pacing the small hospital room, Egon told Ray.

"I fully and freely forgive Peter for using my bed to seduce co-eds."

Egon had not wanted to do this at first. Charlie had said that this would happen during the group class. Egon didn't feel like being forgiving.

"Egon," Ray told him, "I will not say a word. Just try it."

Ray, true to his word, had kept quiet until Egon had gotten to the part where Peter had pulled Ray's ears. Stopping Egon before he could go on, Ray told him that statement shouldn't be on his list.

"What?" Egon questioned as he stopped pacing and turned towards Ray's hospital bed.

"Egon." Ray pointed out, "Peter didn't hurt you. He hurt me. You may not have liked what Peter was doing at the time, but he didn't 'wrong' you in anyway. You shouldn't be upset over that. What else is on your list?"

Egon continued down his list only to discover that Ray was right. Peter pulling Ray's ears, upsetting Walter Peck, and using Dana's Amati cello inappropriately were in no way something that had 'wronged' Egon personally. Egon was upset by Peter's actions because he felt that Peter was hurting his friends, Ray told him, but holding a grudge about these things was wrong.

Egon shook his head and turned around to set the Chemistry book on the edge of his desk. There sat the newspaper and the two papers from Charlie's group meeting untouched. Egon picked up the handout with his left hand, as he sat the book down on top of the newspaper and his list that he had written. At least Egon could burn his list soon.

Charlie's handout had one word written in bold across the top. **FORGIVE**. The same word was seen again written down the side, this time each letter had a saying by it. Egon looked closer at the handout.

**F=Face the facts. **Own up to the reality that you need to forgive another person or yourself. If you don't accept that you're stuck in a bitter, unforgiving, insolating quicksand, you'll never get out of your rut to live a sweet, fulfilling, enriching life.

**O=Oust the anger. **Even if you feel that the other person's offenses are real and your anger is justified, you should resolve to shed your fury, resentment and bitterness.

**R=Remember the offenses. **Recall the harms inflicted on you. State: "I fully and freely forgive _(person's name) for _(spell out what the person did)." Read your list out loud several times and then take a match to it and burn it in the sink. (Be careful!)

Egon smiled at this statement as he leaned back into the chair and read on.

**G=Give the benefit of the doubt. **Realize that, in most instances, the person(s) who harmed you were probably being either selfish or self-involved and were not out to hurt you.

**I=Imagine what forgiveness feels like. **Now visualize yourself breaking free with forgiveness. Then create and repeat these forgiveness affirmations or mantras in front of the mirror. "I fully and freely forgive _(person's name), and I am now released. Harmony, peace and goodwill, will reign supreme between _(person's name) and me."

**V=Value the experience. **Realize that forgiveness can be powerful and effective, perhaps as important as eating nourishing foods, exercising and believing in yourself. Acknowledge that letting go of your acrimony, animosity and antagonism can totally transform and improve your life.

**E=Embrace forgiveness. **Approaching the other person to ask for forgiveness completes your process and helps you to achieve a joyous merciful frame of mind. If the person is no longer on this earth that has harmed you, imagine yourself humbly asking for forgiveness and the other person pardoning you.

Egon let the paper drop to his lap as he sat upright in his chair. Charlie was good. Having only taught him one semester, Egon knew back then that Charlie had been smart. Charlie had been top of his class, with straight A's on every assignment, tests, and quiz's given. He had grown into a remarkable doctor and psychologist in his own right. Egon smirked. Charlie could give Peter a run for his money if he ever went on Peter's television show, "World of the Psychic."

Believe it or not, Charlie and Ray were right. From doing the experiment Egon had felt free. It was as if a burden had been lifted off of his shoulders. Eden had been right too when she had told Egon that he had built a wall to protect himself. Egon had felt that wall start to crumble when he was in the hospital with Ray. The last step to the breakdown of Egon's wall, was when he had seen Peter take the deed to Ray's house and give it back to him.

"Ray, I'm so sorry for what I have done to you." Peter said, handing Ray the manila envelope, "Please forgive me."

Ray had taken the manila envelope that Peter held out to him that day. Dropping the envelope onto the nearby table, Ray had taken Peter into a bear hug and had told Peter that he had been forgiven years ago.

Egon had been shocked to discover that what he had thought and knew about Peter, was all wrong. Egon didn't really know Peter after all. Egon's wall had come crashing down that day to find something else there. A sense of calm. Peace. These feelings had come to Egon's heart. His soul had been set free. His feelings of being used, unwanted, betrayal, that had been gnawing at Egon's core had vanished. A new life. What he would've given to get that new life a few years ago. But this new life had come at a price. That was his pride. He was able to see that he had been wrong all these years and the only person it was hurting was himself. Now releasing this burden Egon had a new world to explore. Each day from now on was a brand new start, but something was still missing. After all that he had gone through, something was still not right.

A soft knock on his office door brought Egon back. Wiping his wet eyes with the sleeve of his jacket, he bid the person to come in.

"Doctor Spengler." Dean Williams spoke, closing the door behind him. "Were you just going to slip out of here without a goodbye?"

Dean Williams was the last person that Egon had wanted to see today.

"Dean Williams." Egon said as he stood up from his chair, placing the handout on his desk, "You were not suppose to see that until Monday morning." Egon pointed to the letter that Dean Williams was holding in his hand.

"Yes, I know." Dean Williams stated. "Luckily for me, some little bird told me what was going on."

"More like a 'Little Duck'." Egon groaned.

Egon had told Eden that he was going to resign from the university on Thursday. Egon had typed the letter and placed it on Dean Williams' desk on Friday after work, knowing full well that the Dean would see it on Monday morning. Egon felt that he couldn't do both, work at the firehouse and work at the university. He loved both, but felt that he couldn't divide his time without one or the other losing out. The firehouse had won out in the end, after two sleepless nights. He loved working with Ray and the many problems that arose from spectrology, but he also loved psychology. This had been one of his problems in graduate school as he had not been able to make up his mind. Every time Egon had learned about something new that he liked, he had pursued it. That was one of the reasons why he had graduated with seventeen degrees. Egon couldn't make up his mind then and now that he had too, it was not easy.

"Yes, Eden told me Friday." Dean Williams said.

Crossing to Egon's chair behind his desk, Dean Williams sat down and motioned for Egon to do the same.

Egon felt like he was back in graduate school, sitting across from his advisor, as he tried to explain.

"Dean Williams you know I love working for you here, but I need to spend time with Ray, Peter, and Winston to get our business up and running again. I was…"

Dean Williams cut him off. "Doctor Spengler, answer me this, have you considered doing both?"

"Yes." Egon sighed, "I feel that my time can't be divided equally between the two. One or the other will suffer given enough time."

"That may be true if you are trying to hold down a full schedule here, but what about something part-time? Maybe even a tutoring schedule. Or better yet, how about taking a sabbatical for a year. I don't want to lose you, so whatever it takes let us work this out."

"Excuse me?" Egon didn't know what to say.

Dean Williams wanted him? How can that be. No one had told Egon that in a long time. Now Egon realized that his hatred of Peter had placed 'blinders' on him like a horse. Blinders, also known as blinkers or winkers, are a piece of horse tack that prevents the horse from seeing to the rear and, in some cases, to the side. Many trainers believe these keep the horse focused on what is in front of him, encouraging him to pay attention to the race rather than other distractions. In Egon's case they had prevented him from seeing what people really thought of him, leaving him to wallow in self pity. They had dragged Egon down into the depths of despair, almost causing him to lose his life to suicide.

"Doctor Spengler," Dean Williams said leaning forward to place his hands upon the desk, letter in hand, "Don't you realize what a great asset you are here? The students in your classes are the happiest I have seen in a long time. Even when you were working as a assistant, the Professor you worked under had nothing but praise for you. Why do you think that you were promoted after six months? It is because of the work that you did. I am not going to accept this letter of resignation from you."

Egon sat there not knowing what to say. He had not thought about anything else but doing one job or the other. Dean Williams was willing to hold open the door at the university if he said yes. Egon was given a new life and with that he had choices, but Egon had only thought that he could choose one. Now he realized that he could choose two.

"Alright Dean Williams," Egon said, "Can I have until next year to see how the new business is going before I make my mind up?"

"Deal!" Dean Williams said, ripping Egon's letter of resignation in half. "Here take half, it will make you feel better."

Egon reached out and took the two pieces of paper that Dean Williams had just destroyed into his hands. Ripping them in half again as Dean Williams had suggested, Egon did feel better.

"Okay, Doctor Spengler, enough with the packing today." Dean Williams told him, pushing his chair back and standing up. "It's time you, me, and Doctor Charlie Levine went out."

"What? Charlie?" Egon was confused.

"Yep, when you missed your recheck appointment Doctor Levine called me to see if I knew what was going on." Dean Williams trailed off as another knock was heard on Egon's office door.

Before Egon could invite the person in, the door opened to reveal Charlie standing there. "Am I early?" Charlie asked Dean Williams.

"No, right on time." Dean Williams said, crossing to the door to shake Charlie's hand.

"What's the verdict?" Charlie asked.

Dean Williams turned towards Egon. "Would you like to tell him Doctor Spengler?"

Egon realized what was happening as he spoke to both men. "You set me up."

Dean Williams and Charlie laughed. "No, not set up." Dean Williams said.

"More like coming to your senses." Charlie finished. "Let's go Egon."

Egon placed the torn papers onto his desk knowing that they would be there whenever he chose to come back. That was what was missing. His time at Columbia. He had missed it five years ago and he had almost given it up again. Grabbing his overcoat on the way out the door, Egon followed the two men down the hall. Everything would work out in the end, Eden had told him on Saturday, when he had walked her home from the 'Met'. How right she was.

XXXXXXXXXX

Five days had passed since Egon had tried to pack up his office at Columbia University. Now he sat at the kitchen table with Ray, in the firehouse, working on some of the slime that they had found. The past week had been grueling on them both. The first thing that Peter had done to get the business back up and running, had been to film a television commercial. Peter had called Janine Melnitz up and offered her old job back to her. Janine had accepted and returned on Thursday of last week sporting a new color for her hair. Red. Louis had told Janine that he 'loved it'. Peter had them both incorporated into the commercial that he was doing. Having been scared to death of the camera, Egon had mouthed everyone's lines along with them, waiting for his cue.

"You mean the Ghostbusters hot beverage thermal mugs and free balloons for the kids?"

Retreating out the door when they were done, Egon had gone over to see Eden.

"How can you do it?" Egon questioned her. "I couldn't even relax knowing that the camera was on me the whole time."

"Neither can I." Eden told him, "That's why I chose the theater. I know that they are filming the performances, but I can't see the cameras. I only see people and that doesn't scare me."

Winston returned last Friday too, and with Ray's help, had made improvements to Ecto-1. The first thing the automobile got was a good tune-up. No more white/gray smoke from when Ray had picked Egon up at Port Authority. Ecto-1 got a name change to Ecto-1A, and also got some more technical equipment placed on the roof. Most noticeably this upgrade included digital sign boards on each side of the vehicle's roof rack, broadcasting the 'Ghostbusters' specials and phone number. The light bars changed from blue lenses to clear lenses, with multi-colored rotators and a third light bar was added along with a directional arrow stick. Another feature, that Winston and Ray had added on the roof rack, was a radar dish. Peter decided to update the logo and had this painted onto the doors and hood of the vehicle as well. Winston added yellow and black caution striped reflective tape to the side of the car. Finally the rear bumper was replaced with an aluminum diamond-plate step painted red.

After the 'Ghostbusters' commercial had aired, the team had started receiving calls. A ghostly jogger by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir in Central Park, a Class 1 at a jewelry store in ChinaTown, slime on the steps outside a church in Midtown, and that Class 2 from Orrefors Glass Store on 58 East 57th Street. This Class 2 ghost had been physically manipulating the crystal in the store and the manager had called the 'Ghostbusters' in to investigate. Arriving on the scene, Egon could see that all of the precious crystal was floating in the air several feet above the glass shelves and display table. Peter had tried to grab the ghost with a proton beam, only to have the ghost return his attack by throwing a crystal vase his way.

Ray stopped Peter from trying again, as he placed his hand onto Peter's neutrona wand and forced it to the ground. "Peter although a proton pack's beam is normally effective, some Class 2 ghosts have the capacity to return attacks."

"Now you tell me!" Peter said flipping off the switch on his trigger box. "What are we going to do Holmes?"

"Watch and learn Peter." Egon said as he and Winston set up four tripod traps, positioning them in each corner of the display table.

As Egon and Winston were working, Ray pulled what looked like 'sunglasses' out of a silver box that he had brought into the store with him. Handing them out to the other team members, he explained that they were special glasses that would allow them to look at an open ghost trap without causing harm to their eyes.

On a signal from Egon, Ray and Winston switched on the traps, which threw a laser-type beam around the perimeter of the display table. The manager watched in horror as all the glassware suddenly dropped out of the air, smashed through the glass shelves and shattered on the display table. After a long pause, Peter turned to the sales lady next to him.

"So will that be cash or a check?"

Egon looked up from his notes that he had been making on the slime. Ray was talking to him about doing another experiment on the slime that involved, well to say it politely, procreation.

"No, thank you, Ray." Egon told him.

"Hey, I'm just saying that maybe you and Eden would have a 'good time' with it. It seems to really respond well to positive stimuli."

"Yes it does, but you and I have both seen what would happen if it got mad. I don't want to hurt Eden. Somehow I believe she has been hurt in the past and she is keeping that from me. If the slime picked up on that past life of hers' there is no telling what it would do to her."

"True." Ray said deep in thought, "I just wish there was a better way of testing my theory without anyone getting hurt."

"Why don't you get Peter to try it out." Egon pointed his pen at Ray.

"I said without anyone getting hurt." Ray shook his head. "I doubt he would try it anyways, he is trying to get back with Dana."

Peter's voice could be heard one floor below them. "Where are you guys?"

"Up here Peter!" Ray called.

"Ray." Egon placed a hand onto his friend arm and hissed, "Not one word about this, deal?"

Peter and Winston climbed the last few stairs to the top floor of the firehouse.

"So what is so important that you need to see me and Winston at two-thirty in the afternoon, on a Friday, before Christmas to boot." Peter asked.

"Peter, I'm glad you're here." Ray said beckoning the two men over to the kitchen table. "Egon and I have something really amazing to show you."

"It's not that thing you do with your nostrils, is it Egon?" Peter asked.

Ignoring Peter, Egon opened the freezer door and rummaged around towards the back where he pulled out a slime specimen in a Tupperware container.

"We've been studying the stuff that we took from the subway tunnel." Ray told Peter and Winston, as Egon removed the lid from the container and placed it into the microwave, setting it for defrost for a few minutes.

As the timer went off, and Egon was removing the now liquid slime from the microwave, Ray told him to be careful.

"Should I get spoons?" Peter questioned, as he followed Egon to the kitchen table with Winston in tow. "Are we going to eat it?"

"No." Ray said sitting down across the table from Egon, "Egon is just restoring it to its normal state. We found it safer to store if we freeze it."

Peter looked at Winston, who was on his right, with a quizzical look. Winston just shrugged his shoulders. It seemed that Ray and Egon were excited over something.

"Watch this." Egon told Peter and Winston and then turned his attention to Ray. "Go ahead Ray."

Ray leaned over the Tupperware container and in a very deep toned voice shouted at the slime.

"You!" Ray took a breath. "You worthless piece of slime!"

Ray and Egon both pulled their heads back as the slime bubbled once.

"You ignorant disgusting blob!" Ray went on.

The slime twitched and bubbled more, starting to grow in size.

Now Egon took over yelling at the slime.

"You're nothing but an unstable short-chained molecule."

Peter could see that Egon and Ray were totally enjoying every moment of this.

"You foul, obnoxious muck!" Ray took a turn.

"You have a weak electrical chemical bond!" Egon told the slime with a smile upon his face.

The slime continued to bubble and swell, changing color with each insult that Ray and Egon gave it. It was a quarter of the way from the top as Ray continued on his rampage.

"I've seen some real crud in my time, but YOU'RE a chemical disgrace! Your just…" Ray trailed off as Winston placed his hand upon Ray's arm, bringing him back to the present.

Astonished Peter looked to the slime that had doubled in size and was threatening to spill out over the rim of the container. Shaking his head at Ray and Egon Peter said.

"This is what you do with your spare time?"

Perplexed that Peter didn't get it, Ray spoke to him.

"This is an incredible breakthrough Peter. A psychoreactive substance! Whatever this stuff is, it clearly responds to human emotional states."

"Mood slime?" Peter questioned leaning over the container and in his best 'Elvis' voice said, "Oh baby!"

All three men jumped back as the slime bubbled up trying to get at Peter's face.

"Watch out Peter." Ray said, "If it touches you, we don't know what it is going to do."

"We've found it at every event site we've been to lately." Egon told the group.

"You mean this stuff actually feeds on 'bad vibes'?" Winston questioned Ray as he poked a finger at the bottom of the Tupperware container.

"Like a goat on garbage." Ray replied.

"We're running tests to see if we can get an equally strong positive reaction." Egon told Winston.

Narrowing his eyes, Peter wondered what was going on. Maybe he shouldn't ask what he was thinking, as he may not want to know what Egon and Ray were doing with the slime in their spare time. Peter asked anyways. "What kind of tests?"

Egon looked at Ray, pleading with his eyes not to tell.

"Well…" Ray began.

He knew the look that Egon had just given him. It was the same look he had given Ray at his Occult shop when he had told Peter about Dana. Determined not to repeat the same mistake Ray picked his words very carefully.

"Well, Peter, we sing to it. We talk to it. We say supportive, nurturing things to it."

Peter looked Ray right in the eye and asked him, "You're not sleeping with this stuff are you Ray?"

Ray looked to Egon. "Now what do you want me to say?" the unspoken questioned lingered in Ray's mind.

Egon looked away as Peter made a comment that he wished he wouldn't have heard.

"It really responds to music. Let's calm it down." Ray told Egon.

Egon reached to his left and picked up a guitar at the end of the table, while Ray retrieved his clarinet from the chair. The men started to play "Cumbaya" to the slime specimen as it stopped bubbling and started to shrink back into the container.

"Does it have any favorites?" Winston asked as Egon and Ray finished playing.

"It likes all the sappy stuff: 'Cumbaya', 'Everything is Beautiful', and 'It's A Small World'." Ray told Winston placing his clarinet on the table.

Egon, having gotten up when Ray was talking, placed the guitar onto the kitchen counter.

"It loves Jackie Wilson." Egon told Winston bringing an old toaster back over to set on the table.

Peter and Winston watched as Ray spooned some of the psych-reactive slime into the toaster. Egon carefully carried the toaster over to the pool table, in the back corner, and sat it down upon the green velvet covering.

"We call this the kinetic test." Ray told Peter and Winston, crossing his arms and smiling.

Peter watched as Egon pulled over a cassette player and turned it on. Jackie Wilson's song "Higher and Higher" started to play from the speakers.

"You do this at night when I'm not here?" Peter asked Egon.

"Just watch." Egon replied.

Peter narrowed his eyes at Egon. Here was a man up until two weeks ago hadn't said one word to him. Now Egon was trying to be his friend. What had happened? Peter didn't understand. Maybe it had something to do with that lovely girl he had seen Egon with at the courthouse Monday. What was her name? Something to do with the Bible. Eve. No, not Adam and Eve. Although it did start with an 'E'. Where did Adam and Eve live? That's right. The Garden of Eden. That was her name. Eden. Peter smiled. Maybe Egon was getting 'lucky' with Eden and that is what had changed his demeanor. Heaven only knew he wished he had Dana back in his life right now. Lost in thought Peter didn't see that the toaster was now moving. Did he see that right? The toaster was shaking, bouncing, and trying to spin in time with the music. Staring in disbelief at the dancing toaster, he was surprised when it shot out two pieces of toast into the air and Egon caught them without missing a beat.

Egon turned off the music and placed the two slices of toast down next to the cassette player.

"Whoa Nellie. I don't care what anyone says, this could be a major Christmas gift item." Peter told the group, as he grabbed the toaster from the pool table and started to caress the sides of it.

"Right!" Winston pointed a finger at Peter, "The first time someone gets mad, their toaster will eat their hand."

"So we'll put a warning label on it and we're good." Peter said as he turned the toaster over in his hands.

Having stuck his fingers in the slots, Peter started screaming as if the toaster had actually bitten into his hand and wouldn't let go. Ray, Winston, and Egon jumped in to help him, only to find Peter laughing at them as he easily withdrew his fingers.

"The old man eating toaster trick." he told Egon, placing his two fingers that had been in the toaster in front of Egon's eyes.

Peter was grabbed from behind by Ray, as Winston pushed them both over to the couch and Egon grabbed Peter's shirt with his left hand. Ray and Winston were making a game out of it but Egon was mad.

"Goodbye, Venkman!" Egon said. Making a fist with his right hand, and pulling it back, he was ready to punch Peter in the face.

"EGON!"

Ray yelling at him made Egon stop what he was doing.

Looking down at his hand Egon suddenly realized what he was about to do. Unclenching his fist Egon let go of Peter and backed away from the three men on the couch. What had happened to him? He had been so upbeat and lively just moments before. What happened to make him so mad all of a sudden? Staring at his hands Egon noticed that there was a small trace of slime on them. He must have picked it up when he caught that toast. But the toast was now positively charged wasn't it? How come he wanted to punch Peter in the face? Nodding his head, Egon understood.

"Well, Ray your theory is correct." Egon stated going over to the sink to wash his hands.

"What theory is that?" Ray said releasing Peter and getting up from the couch to stand next to his friend.

"That the slime can change very quickly from negative to positive, and then positive to negative again like that." Egon said snapping his wet fingers together.

"What are you two Brainiac's talking about?" Peter asked from the couch.

Egon turned to Peter and started to explain.

"Peter, the slime picks up on peoples emotions. When I was happy so was it. But when you pulled that trick about getting eaten, then I became mad and the slime picked up on it. I could hear it inside my head telling me what to do. Peter I…" Egon trailed off as he looked at Winston standing next to Peter.

Egon didn't want Winston to know what was really going on with him and Peter. Ray picked up on it and beckoned for Winston to follow him down the stairs.

"Come on Winston. Egon needs to talk to Peter in private." Ray said heading down the stairs with Winston on his heels.

Egon sighed. He had not been looking forward to this day, but knew that he had to do so in order for his soul to be free. Finishing wiping his wet hands on a dish towel, Egon crossed over to where Peter sat on the couch. Releasing a breath Egon started in.

"Peter. I don't know how to say this nicely, but for the past five years I have hated you."

"Who doesn't?" Peter said.

"Peter, this isn't a game!" Egon said as he pulled over a chair and sat in it facing Peter. "I have blamed you for everything that has happened in my life from the time of Gozer the Gozerian until now. Even some things that you have done to me when we were roommates at Columbia."

"Over the years this hatred of you has torn me up inside, causing me to become depressed and suicidal. Peter I have recently learned to forgive you for the things that have happened to me. Peter Venkman, I am now asking for your forgiveness."

Peter sat there dumbfounded. Egon hated him? When did this happen? Thinking back he did know that Egon was mad at him when he called him, well that word that you shouldn't repeat in front of little kids. Peter remembered it was when Egon was packing what little of his belongings that remained after the containment unit had exploded. Coming back from court, Peter had begged his forgiveness but Egon had brushed him aside and stormed out the door calling insults back to him, Ray, and Winston. Peter hadn't seen hide nor hair of Egon until last summer. Peter knew that Ray had kept in touch with him, but he had not. Peter realized that he was just as upset as Egon felt too, only Peter had other ways of dealing with his hurt. Egon apparently had not. Letting it brew inside of him until he was ready to explode.

"Egon, it's okay. You have my forgiveness." Peter said leaning forward and taking Egon's arm. "I should be the one to apologize to you. Asking for your forgiveness. I didn't realize that my actions have hurt the people around me." Peter dropped his hand and looked away from Egon.

"I've lost everything that I ever loved." Peter continued. "I pushed Dana away until she married someone else. Now I have no one. I even lost you." Peter looked up into Egon's face a tear in his eye.

"Where you blame your hatred on me, I blame mine on my dad. He was always breaking his promises of visits at Christmas and other occasions to me and my mom. We had to move around a lot when I was a small kid due to the fact that my dad was always having to dodge the law. Because of this Dad was away a lot. I finally convinced myself that Christmas and birthdays were unimportant. Only recently Ray has taught me that I can enjoy them again."

"Where is your mom now?" Egon asked. "Surely you haven't lost her?"

"My mom's gone. She died when I was ten. What I regret the most is not spending more time with her. My father had to raise me alone, only he didn't do a very good job of it. Left me at a carnival once. So I turned to other forms of comfort. Smoking, alcohol, drugs, women, but none of it held any real deep feelings of comfort for me. That was until I was paired with you as a roommate at Columbia. Up until then I had seen my life in terms of an ongoing series of hustles, scams, and dodges. The reason I studied parapsychology was because I thought it was so nebulous that I could get a paycheck without having to produce anything of substance. You broke me out of my shell. You were always there for me when I needed something. You became the brother I never had. You never broke your promises to me even when you had to come get me from Dean Yager's office."

Egon thought back to that day. It was the day that Peter had run his underwear up the flagpole while he was still wearing them. It was a miracle that Dean Yager hadn't expelled him.

"Tri Kuppa Bru." Egon stated, nodding his head.

"Tri Kuppa Bru." Peter replied. "What a frat house that was."

"Egon." Peter said more seriously now. "I'm sorry for what I have done to you in the past. I'm sorry for making you feel hurt by my actions. Can we start anew? Friends?" Peter asked holding out his hand to Egon.

Egon looked at Peter's outstretched hand. This is what he needed. He needed to forgive Peter which he had done and now Peter was asking for his forgiveness in return. Egon was not going to be the one to cause ill feelings between the pair anymore. Egon gave Peter the benefit of doubt, Peter hadn't meant to hurt him. Peter was just self-involved in himself, he knew nothing else because of what had happened to him as a child. Egon reached out and took a hold of Peter's hand by his elbow, so that Peter's wrist was grabbing his elbow, sort of a type of hand sandwich, and gave it a fierce squeeze.

"Friends." Egon told him

"Friends." Peter replied.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Egon stood waiting in the lobby of the Metropolitan Opera House for Eden. "La Boheme" had just finished and Eden would be joining him shortly. She had to change out of her costume first. Ever since the incident on Tuesday night, when Eden and Egon had gotten 'mobbed', James Levine had put a stop to Eden leaving by the stage door. Now anyone who wanted to see Miss Eden Parnell, was to line up behind a red velvet rope. Eden, if she wished to do so, Mr. Levine had told her, could go over and sign autographs or talk to the patrons by the rope.

"If you don't feel like signing autographs that day you can just leave." Mr. Levine said to Eden.

Mr. Levine had wanted to give Eden a bodyguard to walk her home, but Eden had refused.

"Egon's my bodyguard and much more Mr. Levine." Eden said smiling and taking Egon's hand in hers. "I don't need anything else."

Egon felt good, both in body and spirit. He had finally been able to sit through a whole performance without his back hurting him. Having missed his recheck appointment last week, Egon had gone to see Charlie on Wednesday.

"Looks good Egon." Charlie told him as he examined Egon's back. "The bruising is starting to subside. It's starting to turn yellow on the edges which is what I want to see happening. I'm going to palpate the area Egon. Let me know if I am hurting you."

Charlie started on the edges and worked his way to the center. As Charlie got to the middle of Egon's back, Egon hissed through clenched teeth.

"Okay, still a little sore right in the middle. That spot is still very dark in color. Let's give it a couple more weeks. Are you still taking your muscle relaxing pills?" Charlie asked.

"Yes, Charlie. I am." Egon said. The pills had been a big help. They were the only reason he was sleeping some nights too.

"Good. Keep out of trouble and I'll see you tonight for the last group meeting. Bring Ray with you as he can't miss this one. I'll see you for another recheck after Christmas."

Egon heard the crowd calling Eden's name as he turned to look towards the theater's doors. Egon gasped when he saw her. Eden was beautiful. Usually Eden wore a blouse and jeans to walk home in. Tonight Eden had her hair done up in a French braid. Eden's long hair was usually down to the middle of her back, but with the French braid it made it look shorter. The ends of the braid hit about four inches right below her shoulders.

Eden wore a long sleeve, black velvet, straight gown that had a white chiffon overlay draped on the neck. Egon could see that as Eden walked towards him the ends of the chiffon came up and over both sides of her shoulders to fall to the ground. As Eden moved, they trailed out behind her.

"Egon. I'm glad you waited for me." she said crossing the lobby to him. Eden took Egon's hands in hers and kissed him on his lips.

"Eden you are beautiful." Egon said pulling away from her to look her over. "I mean it. I think the word I want to use is gorgeous."

Smiling Eden squeezed his hands. "Thank you."

"I have only one question."

"Yes, darling?"

"Why are you all dressed up?"

Eden's mouth turned into a sly smile as she spoke. "It's for tonight. I'll explain when we get back to the apartment. Excuse me while I go sign some autographs."

Eden kissed Egon again on the mouth, and with a final squeeze, let go of his hands and turned to walk away. As she went Egon's heart skipped a beat. "Oh My!" Egon thought, as Eden walked away from him. "Eden's more than gorgeous, she is ravenous."

Egon stared at Eden's retreating back. Egon had only seen Eden this way one other time. That was the night he had seen her in her underwear. The gown that she was wearing was backless. Egon had not seen it from the front. The white chiffon drape ran down both sides of the dress to end at her waist and billow out. The cut of the dress however, was to end right below her waist. The dress also had a split up the back so that Eden could walk.

"When are you going to ask her to marry you?" a voice behind him said.

Egon turned around to see Mr. Pavone standing there. Egon had not heard him come up behind him.

"Mr. Pavone, it's good to see you again." Egon said shaking his hand.

"You didn't answer my question." Mr. Pavone said, releasing Egon's hand and turning him around to look at Eden signing autographs on her way down the line of patrons.

"Mr. Pavone I…" Egon started to say before he was cut off.

"Doctor Spengler just listen to me." Mr. Pavone said as he placed his right hand onto Egon's shoulder and leaned forward to whisper into Egon's left ear.

"There is no way you can let Eden get away from you now. I've seen you two together. You care deeply for this woman before you. You protected her from that crowd a couple of weeks ago. You sheltered her from the storms in her life, not even knowing what they are."

"But…" Egon tried again.

"Doctor Spengler many marriages begin with a certain amount of distance, but as you learn to trust each other it brings you closer together. Eden trusts you. Mind, body and soul. As you learn to trust her you will see that something will happen. You will begin to love her deeper. There will be no other woman to take her place. You will become, 'flesh of her flesh' and 'bone of her bone', then you will cease being husband and wife. You will become one as mates."

"When Eden is feeling down, you will too. And when she is happy, so will you. Trust me. I've been married twenty wonderful years. I liked my wife when we first got married, but I have grown to love her over the years. It will happen for you also."

"But, Mr. Pavone. How can I, when I can't even say the word."

"What, Love?"

"Yes." Egon said turning around to look Mr. Pavone in the face. "I can't say it because I can't feel it. I don't want to give Eden a false sense of security."

"I see." Mr. Pavone said, "But trust me Doctor Spengler, I believe you do love Eden. You just haven't convinced yourself of that yet. Eden has been through a lot over this past year. She has had to learn to trust and love again. Has she told you about what happened to her in June of last year yet?"

"No."

Mr. Pavone nodded his head deep in thought. "Ask her tonight." he finally said. "It's high time that everything is out and in the open with you both. Heaven knows that woman needs you in her life to love her."

"Egon, shall we go?"

Egon turned around to see Eden standing before him.

"Yes." Egon took Eden by the arm and bid Mr. Pavone goodnight.

Egon opened the door to let Eden go outside first. Arm-in-arm Egon walked with Eden past the fountain in the courtyard, with Avery Fisher Hall on his left, heading for Columbus Avenue. If Egon was heading home he would walk up Columbus Avenue to Broadway and catch the subway at 66th Street. But tonight he was taking Eden home and she needed to catch the subway at Columbus Circle to go uptown to 72nd Street and Central Park West.

As they approached Columbus Avenue Egon went to turn right, only to be hauled across the street by Eden.

"The subway station is that way." Egon told her, pointing with his right hand down Columbus Avenue.

"We are walking tonight, Doctor Spengler." Grace said from behind him, running across the street with Helen and Iris following behind her. "See you at the apartment Eden." She giggled and continued down 64th Street to Central Park West.

"Eden that's eight blocks up." Egon told her.

"So. It's a nice night and I'm in a good mood."

"It's also December and cold. Here." Egon said releasing her arm as he slipped out of his overcoat and placed it around Eden's shoulders. "At least take my coat. I don't want you catching a cold and not be able to sing."

"Thank you, but now you are going to be cold." Eden said as she put her arms into the sleeves of Egon's overcoat.

"I'm fine. The tuxedo is made out of wool. So Eden, can you tell me now why you are all dressed up?"

As they approached the end of 64th Street they turned left onto Central Park West and continued walking. "Well," Eden said, as she took Egon's arm again, "It's a surprise. One that I hope you are going to like."

"Okay but…" Egon started to speak, broke off, and sighing at the same time that Eden did, continued.

"I have something I need to ask you." they said together.

Eden laughed. "You first Egon."

"Well, I don't know how to say this but to come right out and say it. Do you like kids?"

"Like kids? Egon, are you kidding me?" Eden stopped walking, bringing Egon to a halt and turned to look him in the face. "Where is this coming from all of a sudden?"

"Well, when I was with Dana a few weeks ago I got to hold her baby Oscar, and that got me thinking."

"About kids?" Eden asked, as she started walking again pulling Egon along.

"Yes and about us. Eden I need to know if you would want to have a child with me?"

Now it was Egon's turn to stop walking as he turned to face Eden waiting for her reply.

"Egon I thought you knew?" Eden said a little taken back.

"Knew what Eden?"

"That's why I sat you down in August to talk to you." Eden said, "I thought you understood what I was saying to you."

"That you wanted more from our relationship. Yes, I know Eden."

"But Egon," Eden said releasing his arm and backing away from him. "You told me that you didn't want me to get hurt. That you didn't want the tabloids to find out. That's why I'm dressed this way. I want you Egon Spengler. I wanted you since that night in August, but I knew that you didn't want me unless we were married."

"What are you talking about Eden?" Egon said, taking a step forward, only to have Eden back away from him again. "I didn't want the press to find out that we were sleeping together. They would have had a field day with that. If it wasn't for your career I would have gladly slept with you."

"Egon you clearly stated to me…" Eden trailed off lost in thought.

Maybe she had heard him wrong. Eden thought that Egon understood. Eden wanted a child and she wanted him to give her one. She thought that Egon was old fashion and wouldn't do so unless they were married. She had misread the man standing before her.

Egon saw Eden's hesitation. Did he misread what she had said to him that day? Was she after more than just a 'romp in the hay'? It had to be as he saw the shocked look in her eyes. Eden had wanted a child and by him.

"Eden…" he began, but before he could explain, Eden turned and ran off crying.

Egon took off after her, as Eden ran past her roommates.

"Eden, wait up!" Egon called, as he saw Helen take off after Eden and Iris turn his way.

Coming up to Iris, who was walking his way, Egon stopped in front of her only to be surprised by Iris slapping him hard across the face. Shocked Egon just stood there.

"I told her you weren't like Ben. What did you tell her? NO!" Iris yelled at him. "YOU…"

Grace caught Iris's hand before she could hit Egon again.

"Not here!" Grace hissed at Iris. "Follow me quickly Doctor Spengler we're drawing a crowd."

Egon could see that indeed they had started to draw attention to themselves, as he followed behind the women rubbing his sore face. Grace held Iris's hand the last four blocks to their apartment.

As soon as they were inside the apartment Iris exploded.

"Who do you think you are? That woman went through hell and back and you told her no!" Iris said, pacing the living room floor as Grace showed Egon over to the couch and pushed him down into it.

"Iris sit!" Grace said, pointing to a chair by the couch. "Helen!" Grace hollowed as Iris sat into the chair that Grace was pointing to. "Iris, Eden didn't tell Doctor Spengler about what happened here."

Helen came from down the hallway.

"She doesn't want to see him." Helen said pointing her finger at Egon. "She's pretty upset. Did you tell her no?"

"Look, what is going on here? I was talking to Eden about having a child and then she runs off. The next thing I know is that Iris is backhanding me across the face!" Egon said getting upset at Eden's roommates.

"Helen over there please." Grace said, pointing to the chair on the other side of the couch where Egon was sitting.

"Do you want me to call Paul?" Iris asked Grace.

"No. He's coming over soon anyways." Grace said as she came to sit on the coffee table in front of Egon.

"What I am about to say can't ever leave this room Doctor Spengler. If it does we could get in a lot of trouble and Iris, Paul, and me could go to jail. Do you understand?"

Egon gulped and nodded his head. This was serious. Jail? What had happened in June of last year that the girls and Paul could go to jail?

Grace sighed. Egon had a right to know. It was really Eden's place to tell him what had happened to her, but Grace felt she didn't have a choice. Egon was Eden's soul mate. Grace knew it and she didn't want him to disappear from Eden's life. If he did, Eden would kill herself in the end. Grace was sure of that.

"Doctor Spengler, it all started in March of 1988. Eden moved out here in January, but towards the end of March she started feeling ill. She finally went to see Paul in April to find out that she was pregnant."

"Pregnant?" Egon was shocked. So it was worse than him being a ghostbuster.

"Yes, no thanks to her horrible boyfriend." Iris spat. "Benedict Arnold."

"Benedict Arnold?" Egon questioned Grace.

"His last name was not Arnold, but his first name was Benedict. He liked to be called Ben. He lived in Utah. Eden didn't tell him that she was pregnant until June when he came out to see her."

Egon did some quick figuring in his head. "But how could she be sick in March? Wouldn't it have been in January?"

"Ben would fly out to see Eden once a month if he could." Helen told Egon. "The last time he was out was right before the end of March."

Egon nodded his head, now he understood. "I still don't see what that has to do with you going to jail? Where is Eden's baby now? Did Ben take the child when it was born, right before I met Eden? Maybe I can get her baby back for her."

"Not exactly." Grace said. Leaning forward she took Egon's hands in hers. Egon could feel that Grace's hands were trembling in his, but he remained quiet as Grace continued.

"Eden was three months pregnant at the time when Ben came out to see her again. Ben hadn't been out since that March. It was the last night that Eden had to sing in the chorus at the 'Met'. The season was over until the fall and Eden hadn't planned on going back until after the baby was born."

"Why?" Egon questioned.

"Because of what they did to Dana Barrett." Helen told him. "Everyone at the 'Met', except us, called her names and shunned her. We tried to be friends with her, and Eden went beyond that when she started carrying her cello for her when Dana was pregnant."

"Eden knew what it was like to be pregnant and alone too." Iris finished.

"So Eden was pregnant when Dana was too?" Egon asked.

"No, Doctor Spengler." Grace said.

Egon didn't understand. If Dana's baby Oscar was eight months old now, that put him being born in April of this year. Nine months back from that date would have put Oscar's conception about August of 1988. Eden being three months pregnant in June, was only two months before Dana's date. He was sure he had figured it out right.

"Well, no not at the same time." Egon tried to explain to Grace. "Dana…"

"No, Doctor Spengler." Grace stopped him, "Eden lost the child she was carrying in June."

"Holly Hanna!" Egon whispered, "No wonder she didn't want to tell me. How was she after the miscarriage? Did Ben know? Did she miscarry after he left?"

"Not really a true miscarriage." Helen said to Egon.

"What?" he said.

Wait. Three months pregnant and then Eden had told Ben. Egon turned to Helen. "Ben didn't make Eden get an abortion did he?"

"He tried to!" Iris pointed her finger at Egon, "Only Adam tried to stop him." A tear was in Iris's eye now.

Before Egon could ask who Adam was, Grace released her hold on his hands and took Egon's face instead.

"No more questions. This is hard enough as it is." Grace told him.

"Eden took Ben into her room right there." Grace nodded her head towards Iris's bedroom door.

Egon knew that Eden's room was at the end of the hallway, but he kept quiet as Grace continued. The girls must have switched bedrooms at some point before Egon met them.

"Eden showed Ben the test results that Paul had given her in April. She thought that Ben would be happy. We all heard him screaming at her. Calling her the 'S' word and yelling at her that he was going to 'cut it out of her'. Iris's boyfriend, Adam, was here at the time, as well as Paul. When Ben came out of Eden's room heading for the kitchen, Adam confronted Ben."

Iris picked up the story now, as Grace released Egon's face to wrap her arms around herself.

"Ben grabbed a knife from the kitchen and stabbed Adam when he tried to stop him. Ben was agitated. I saw him stab Adam. Paul came to the kitchen just then. Paul refused to let me stay with Adam. He told me to go and save Eden. He would take care of Adam for me." Iris trailed off as she hung her head and cried into her hands.

Helen took over.

"Iris followed Ben back into Eden's room. Ben had taken Eden, before he went to the kitchen, and had backhanded her and then had thrown her into the wall. Eden had hit her head and was semiconscious. Iris saw Ben kick her in her stomach before he raised the knife to either kill Eden or cut the baby out of her. We don't know."

"I grabbed Ben's arm to try to stop him and he turned around and cut my face open." Iris said quietly between sobs, her face still buried in her hands.

So that explained Iris's scar and Eden's reaction to her statement of receiving the injury in Central Park.

Raising her face slightly from her hands Iris said, "I was able to take his hand, with the knife in it, and get it behind him as I was taught in my military training. But I couldn't get him to drop the knife." Iris dropped her face into her hands once again.

"Ben was larger than Iris was." Grace said. "He had increased energy and his pupils were dilated. Something was wrong with him I knew. I watched from the doorway of Eden's room while Iris tried to disarm Ben, but he was pulling her forward towards Eden. Iris did the only thing that she could have done."

"Iris was one of only a few females in Vietnam assigned to a combat zone. The boys in her unit wanted Iris to be safe." Helen told Egon. "They taught Iris how to kill someone with only their hands."

"I broke Ben's neck." Iris said raising her face from her hands. "I saved Eden's life by killing her boyfriend, and in return Ben killed mine."

Egon looked from Iris to Grace for an answer. Grace provided it.

"Ben's knife found Adam's aorta artery. By the time Iris went back to check on him, when it was all over, he had bled out and died in Paul's arms."

"No wonder Eden didn't want to tell me." Egon spoke quietly.

A key being turned in the front door caused them all to jump. Doctor Paul Stringham opened the door, briefcase in hand, and walked through it, closing it behind him.

"Grace…" he started to say trailing off as he turned around to see the four of them gathered in the living room.

Seeing Grace's tear stained face, Paul was across the room in an instant, dropping his briefcase by the front door.

"Grace what happened? Where's Eden? You didn't tell her 'no' did you Doctor Spengler?" Paul said taking Grace into his arms.

"No, Paul," Helen spoke, "We are telling Doctor Spengler what happened to her and Ben."

Suddenly alert, Paul turned his attention to Egon. "You can't tell anyone Doctor Spengler. I could end up losing my medical license and so could Grace. And then there is Iris to think about too. She'd never see the light of day again if she was to go to jail."

"Stop!" Egon said holding up his hands. "No one has explained to me why you would all go to jail. It was an accident that Adam died as far as I can see. Ben on the other hand, I would call self-defense."

"Where did you leave off Grace?" Paul asked.

Iris spoke up as Grace had her face buried in Paul's chest and was crying uncontrollably.

"Adam dying in the kitchen." Iris lost it and placed her face back into her hands.

"Okay, Doctor Spengler." Paul heaved a sigh. "I tried to save Adam's life while Iris went to save Eden's. Ben's knife had severed Adam's aorta in his heart. He was gone in under four minutes. There was nothing I could do to save him. Iris screaming from Eden's bedroom sent me running there. I found Iris sitting on the floor with Ben beside her. Iris's face had been cut open, from the bottom of her right ear to the corner of her mouth, and she was bleeding heavily."

"I made sure that Ben was dead before I let Helen and Grace come into the room. I sent Grace and Helen to attend to Iris, while I went to help Eden."

"Eden was drifting in and out of consciousness, and when I went to examine her to see how her baby was, my hand came away with blood on it. I knew that given Eden was 12 weeks pregnant that vaginal bleeding was a possible sign of a miscarriage."

"Eden went into spontaneous delivery of the fetus moments later, while I helped Paul and Helen attended to Iris's cut face." Grace said raising her head off of Paul's chest.

"Her baby girl didn't live outside the womb." Paul told Egon, "While the definition of 'stillbirth' varies by country, with Australia at 20 weeks and the United Kingdom at 24 weeks, the United States has no standard definition. To me Eden had delivered a stillborn baby girl, but that is not what I wrote on her medical chart."

"We didn't want Iris to go to jail or for Eden to lose her job for not showing up." Helen said. "So for all intents and purposes, Eden was hurt when a robber broke into the apartment."

"I doctored the medical records to show that Eden was having a heavy menstrual cycle brought about by the trauma of being thrown into the wall. Iris, because she just happened to be on her menstrual cycle that day, was the one who was having the miscarriage. We had to explain the dead fetus somehow." Paul told Egon.

"I labeled the tests wrong at the hospital to reflect the other person." Grace said.

"Adam's death was an accident from trying to confront the robber and Ben's death was considered a drug overdose, with Iris just causing him to lose consciousness from her arm around his throat. Ben's autopsy showed that he had cocaine in his body. This cover-up worked well, thanks to my friend Officer Johnson, who was the first one here after it happened. He testified on Iris's behalf, before he was killed in the line of duty later that week. The judge that tried Iris's case let Iris go on a not-guilty charge." Paul told Egon. "The only people who know what truly happened are sitting in this room."

"And Mr. Pavone?" Egon asked.

This was all too much for him to take. Eden's miscarriage, Iris killing Eden's boyfriend, and all the roommates covering it up to save Paul's, Grace's, and Eden's jobs.

"Yes and Mr. Pavone." Eden's voice could be heard from the hallway.

Immediately, Egon was on his feet and crossed the room to look down the hallway. Eden was leaning against the wall just out of sight. Her lovely French braid had started to come loose and her mascara was running down her face because she had been crying.

"Eden, I'm so sorry." Egon said, stepping forward to take her into his arms to comfort her.

"I don't need your pity Doctor Egon Spengler!" Eden spat at him, stepping back out of his reaching arms. "I needed for you to love me. I thought you knew what I was saying to you about our relationship, but I was wrong. I figured you were old fashion and wanted to be married before you gave me a child. That's why I dressed up tonight, that's why I had Mr. Pavone suggest marriage to you tonight. I was going to break with tradition and ask you for your hand in marriage tonight."

Eden threw a small black box Egon's way as she backed away down the hallway, tears in her eyes.

"Now I see that you are just like the rest of them! You told me so tonight. You would have gladly slept with me if no one found out. You just wanted a 'good time' with me. Another conquest for Doctor Spengler! Who cared if the press found out that I wanted a baby? Who was it going to hurt? Me, or was it going to hurt your reputation? After all I had been through, after all the sleepless nights, and blaming myself for what happened to Iris and me." Eden paused.

"Eden…" Egon tried again taking another step forward, only for Eden to back away from him.

Cutting him off Eden pointed her finger at Egon and yelled, "Don't you Eden me!"

Eden was upset and she was going to let Egon have it. Lock, stock, and both barrels.

"Do you know what it meant for me to be pregnant?" Eden spoke quietly now. "I love children. I want a large family, but the women in our family line have a hard time holding a pregnancy. Most end in miscarriages under eight weeks. I was lucky to have made it past that my mother told me. That was a sure sign that I would carry the baby to full term. My mother didn't care if I had that baby 'out of wedlock'. She just wanted me and the baby healthy."

Eden leaned against the wall, her strength gone now. Looking up at the ceiling she continued.

"I went into major depression when I lost my little girl, Egon. My roommates, the 'Met', and Mr. Pavone tried to keep me going and in happy spirits, until one night I couldn't take it any more. That was the night I met you."

Eden turned her face towards Egon, wiping her wet face with the sleeve of her black velvet dress.

"Do you know what it feels like to be totally alone in a room that is full of people?" she asked him.

Egon dropped his head to the floor. He knew what Eden was talking about. You feel so alone, so lost that everyone around you isn't there mentally.

"Yes, I do know what that feels like. You have lost everything worth living for. No one cares about you anymore. No one would miss you if you left. You turn to thoughts of ending your life." Egon told her.

Eden stared at Egon, his face to the floor. Was she hearing him right? Egon did know how she felt.

"I had gone to the 'Met' that night to hear Renee Fleming sing." Egon said, raising his face from the floor. "After that I was going to end my miserable life. But something happened while I was there. Your singing caught me off guard. You were Carmen that night. You knew how the character felt. Carmen wants Don Jose, and after finally getting him, she is bored with him and sends him home to his dying mother. When you threw down the ring that he had given her and tried to go after your new lover, Don Jose stabs Carmen and she dies."

"Your singing was telling me that you knew how I felt. I wasn't alone in the world anymore. There was something else to look forward too. I remember following you around after the performance. You were so upbeat and happy. Everything I wanted in my life at that moment in time. How could I approach you, in my miserable state of mind that I was in, to even tell you that you had saved my life in more ways than one." Egon said.

Egon looked into Eden's eyes. "That's when you approached me. Me? Of all the people in the world that were there that night, you came to me. To ask me if I wanted your autograph. What was I going to say to someone like you? My angel. I am sure I said something stupid to you."

"Egon you didn't say anything stupid to me." Eden said coming away from the wall. "You told me that I did a wonderful job. What you don't know is that I also wanted to end my worthless excuse of a life that night too. I sang my heart out because I felt like Carmen that night. An ugly duckling that no one wanted or cared about. After the performance I was going to go through with my plan, but when I set foot outside that stage door everything changed. People I didn't know wanted me. They needed me. They showered me with praises."

"I saw you following me." Eden said taking another step towards Egon. "You seemed scared to me, with that program of yours clenched to your chest. I had figured you had never asked anyone for an autograph before. What surprised me the most was when you grabbed my arm. I had flashbacks of Ben grabbing me before he threw me into the wall. I panicked, thinking that you were going to hurt me like Ben, but then you released me and called me by my full name, telling me that I had given you hope to go on living and then you kissed me."

Eden took another tentative step towards Egon as she said, "No one had touched me like you did that night. I didn't want anything to do with men after what I had gone through with Ben. Why would anyone want to stay with me after I told them what had happened to me. Your kiss stirred something in me. You didn't want anything from me, you only gave to me. Remember that rose you gave me?"

"Yes." Egon said. "That was the second time I saw you a few days later, but it was a different opera. I looked for you and found you in the chorus. I couldn't take my eyes off of you Eden. I gave you that single long stemmed rose, after the performance, that you pricked your finger on. I'm sorry."

"You told me that over and over again." Eden laughed. "I forgave you then."

"Well…" Egon said as he dropped to his knees and reached for the small black box on the floor in front of him.

Egon had a pretty good idea of what was in the box. If it turned out to be something else, well then he would be very embarrassed.

"Miss Eden Parnell," Egon told her. "Please forgive me now. I'm sorry for everything that I have put you through, but I can't lose you now. You have saved me, not only physically but mentally too. Please tell me that I haven't lost you, because I misunderstood what you were trying to tell me in August."

Egon held the small black box out to Eden.

"Egon, darling." Eden said, walking up to him and dropping onto her knees in front of him. "This is yours." she said opening the box and turning it around so that Egon could see inside.

Inside was a man's ring. Egon could see that the outside was of Celtic design on the surface. Eden had remembered when he had told her one day that he was fascinated by Celtic designs. Here was a token of her love for him and what he liked too.

"Eden I know that the ring is for me but I don't have one for you. I'm sorry." Egon said looking at the floor.

"Yes, you do." Iris said.

Egon turned his body to look behind him, only to see Iris disappear into her bedroom and return a few moments later, a small red box in her hands. Swallowing hard Iris walked over to Egon and dropped to her knees.

"Adam gave me this before he was killed that night. I want for you to have it." she told Egon offering him the box.

Egon handed the small black box that he was holding to Eden, as he took the small red box from Iris thanking her. Egon opened the box. Surprised he looked to Iris for an explanation.

"Adam proposed to me right before we heard Ben screaming." Iris said, a tear running down her cheek. "Adam would have wanted you to be happy Eden. He loved you, as do I. I never got a chance to wear it. Now I hope you can."

Turning his body back around to face Eden, Egon showed her the contents of the box. Inside were two rings. The engagement ring had a round diamond set above it with four pink roses, two on either side of the diamond. Vines were intertwined among the roses. The wedding band was of the same design minus the diamond. Four pink roses, intertwined with vines, ran around the length of the band.

"Iris you never told me." Eden said shocked. "I can't take this. It belongs to you."

"No, Eden." Iris said. "It belongs to you and Egon now. Please don't say no. You two belong together. Anyone with eyes can see that."

Iris continued. "I'm sorry for slapping you Doctor Spengler. I misunderstood what was going on with you two. Please forgive me."

Egon stood up, pulling Iris up with him, giving her a hug and kissing her on her right cheek. "I forgive you Iris and I'm truly sorry for your loss." Egon released Iris to offer Eden a hand up.

Eden took Egon's hand and stood up in front of him. Placing her arms around him and hugging him, she whispered into his ear that she was sorry and forgave him too. As she pulled away Egon looked into her face.

Egon wanted this woman before him and he didn't care about her past. Mr. Pavone, Iris, Charlie, Dana, and even Ray were right. Eden was his match. He wouldn't find another one like her in a million years. He would learn to love her. Releasing a breath, Egon fell to one knee in front of Eden and offered her Iris's ring.

"Miss Eden Lynn Parnell, will you marry me?" he asked.

Eden looked at Egon on the floor in front of her. He had not judged her for what had happened with Ben. She had heard him from her hiding place. Wanting to know where her baby was, wanting to bring it back to her, and finally concerned about her wellbeing after her miscarriage. Eden had been upset at Egon and once again when he had found out that he had wronged her, Egon had asked to be forgiven. Eden loved this man before her. She had planned on doing this tonight. Mr. Pavone had told her that just because someone doesn't say that they 'love you' out loud, doesn't make it any less meaningful. "Egon loved her," Mr. Pavone told her, "he just doesn't know how to say it yet."

"Only if you, Doctor Egon Einstein Spengler, will marry me." Eden told him dropping to one knee and offering Egon her box.

"Yes, I will." they said together.


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: Ghostbusters II is owned by Columbia Pictures an written by Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd. I am only borrowing the parts that I need for my story.

Chapter 12

"Ray could you please hand me that screwdriver?" Egon asked, his nose buried in his work.

Ray looked up from the three containers that he had spread out before him on the workbench. Picking up the screwdriver that he saw Egon trying to reach for across the workbench, Ray handed it to him.

"Here you go Egon." he said, as Egon took the screwdriver from Ray's outstretched hand. "Do you think that these containers are going to hold the slime?" Ray asked.

"Yes." Egon replied looking up from his work, a pair of magnifying lenses on his head. "It will be easier to transport the slime in them than the glass beakers. And if my theory is correct, we will be able to keep the slime at a constant state of flux."

Ray nodded his head. "I do hope your right Egon, otherwise me and Winston are going to look stupid with Slime Blowers strapped to our backs that don't work."

"They will work." Egon said dropping his head again to work on his part of the project. "The blower will cover anything we want with slime. We just have to get it positively charged, that's the only problem I see."

"Yeah," Ray said turning his attention to the 'flow-meter' on the main tank that was medium-grey in color, "No more repeats of dead mice and rats."

Egon smirked, "Yea, I remember Janine wasn't happy about that experiment and having to clean the mess up, even though I helped." he said.

"And then Louis told you off for scaring her." Ray said pointing a crescent wrench Egon's way.

Ray sat back in his chair, eyes closed, deep in concentration, as he imitated Louis.

"Doctor Spengler, I would appreciate it if you wouldn't involve Miss Janine Melnitz in any of your exploding things that you are doing."

"Hey that's a pretty good impression of Louis." Egon told Ray looking up once again, the magnifying lenses making Egon's eyes look huge.

"Thanks." Ray said as the men fell back to their work.

Another Wednesday night and Ray and Egon were working at the firehouse. Their theories with the slime had been turning out correct. They could make it angry or happy by just their thoughts. Nothing had to be said aloud, just thinking about upsetting or happy things sent the slime into action. Ray swore that the more slime that they collected, the more he heard it talking, suggesting things.

Egon wasn't too sure about actually hearing the slime without it being in contact with you. He remembered back to Peter and the toast, but Ray had told Egon that he heard the slime in Van Horne Station and that it scarred him. Therefore, Ray and Egon were building lead lined storage containers for the slime to live in. Hopefully the slime wouldn't be able to 'speak' to Ray inside their new home. Egon was also concerned that the slime was being controlled by an outside force, but he couldn't prove it yet.

The telephone ringing brought Egon out of his thoughts.

"I'll get it." Ray told him setting the crescent wrench down and getting up from his chair to answer the phone.

"Hello." Ray said. "Hey, hi Pete. Do you still have that hangover from last night?"

Egon laughed. On Christmas Eve Egon had told Ray that he had proposed to Eden. Ray in turn had told Peter, Winston, Louis, and Janine. Peter had set up a 'congratulation' party on Tuesday after Christmas. Janine, Louis, and Winston hadn't stayed for long, as Peter started to get very loud and obnoxious from drinking too much. Egon had seen Peter like this at Columbia University, when Peter had joined the fraternity of Tri Kuppa Bri. Egon would have to go down to the local bar to bring his inebriated roommate home. Peter would be sick for a couple of days afterwards and vowed that he would never touch the stuff again. That was until his buddies in the fraternity would get him going again.

Ray and Egon had walked Peter's 'sorry ass' home. Peter's words not Egon's, as Peter had stumbled home babbling about lost loves in his life. As soon as the men had arrived at Peter's door, Peter had passed out. Ray had deposited Peter on his couch and told Egon that he would stay with Peter until tomorrow.

"What?" Ray said.

Egon looked up from his work. Something was wrong. Egon laid his screwdriver down as he listened to one side of the conversation.

"Are you serious?" Ray's face lit up.

"Well that's great!"

No Ray, not great, he told himself quickly trying to correct his mistake Ray went on. "Oh, I mean terrible but it's great for what we were…" Ray trailed off listening to Peter telling him something.

"Yea, I will." another pause, "Yea, sure we'll get right on it." Ray hung up the phone.

"Spengler! A major slime related psychokinetic event!" Ray said, walking towards him truly excited about whatever Peter had told him.

"What happened?" Egon asked, taking off the magnifying lenses from his head and placing them onto the workbench.

"Something came out of Dana's bathtub. Tried to grab her and the baby." Ray told him stopping before Egon.

"Are they alright?" Egon asked standing up and placing the plasm discharge port gun on the workbench.

"Yea, she got out of there and met Eden at Central Park. Eden put her in a cab and paid for it. Dana and Oscar are over at Peter's place now."

"Did he say anything about what Dana thought happened?" Egon asked.

"Yes. He says that there is a painting at the museum that gives Dana the creeps. It's called Vigo the Carpathian."

Egon furled his brows and walked over to the computer. Sitting down into the chair he brought the computer on line.

"Well, let's see what we can dig up on this Vigo." Egon told Ray.

"Try Leon Zundinger 'Magicians, Martyrs, and Madmen'." Ray said following Egon over to the computer.

"Got it!" Egon said, looking at the table of contents on the computer screen. "It's in Chapter 6."

Egon moved the mouse over and clicked on chapter six. As the page came up Ray leaned over Egon's shoulder to read what was on the computer screen.

"Wow." Ray said, reading the screen.

_Vigo the Carpathian (1505-1610)_

_Sixteenth century Carpathia was in a constant state of spiritual turmoil due primarily to the despotic rule of Prince Vigo Von Homburg Deutschendorf tyrant sorcerer and psychotic autocracy._

"Nice ugly history," Ray said, "Do you think that there is a connection between this Vigo character and the slime."

Ray and Egon turned to look at the slime that they had collected in two large beakers on the table. At the mention of Vigo's name it bubbled once then subsided.

Egon turned to Ray, convinced it was. "Is the atomic weight of Cobalt 58.9?"

Ray thought back to his chemistry class. Cobalt was discovered by Georg Brandt, a Swedish chemist, in 1739. Brandt was attempting to prove that the ability of certain minerals to color glass blue was due to an unknown element and not to bismuth, as was commonly believed at the time. Cobalt was a byproduct of mining and refining nickel, silver, lead, copper, and iron.

Ray didn't understand why Egon would have told him this. As he looked into Egon's face he saw fear written there, then Ray remembered. It wasn't who discovered Cobalt that Egon was talking about, it was the element's name itself. Cobalt was from the German word 'kobald' for goblin or evil spirit.

Ray's eyes widened in fear.

"I think we had better get over to Dana's apartment now! I'd like to check out that bathtub." Ray said turning and heading for the stairs that led to the garage one floor below them.

Egon hit the print button on the computer screen as he stood up and removed his white lab coat, placing it on the chair he had been sitting in.

"Ray it might be a good idea to go to the museum in the morning and get a look at the painting." Egon said grabbing his jacket, the Giga Meter, and the pages that he had printed, before he headed down the stairs after Ray.

"Yea, I'll call Peter from Dana's apartment." Ray said opening the door to Ecto-1A and climbing into the driver's seat.

Egon opened the passenger door and climbed in beside Ray, placing the Giga Meter in the seat behind him.

"Is Dana going to stay at her place tonight?" Egon asked as Ray pulled out of the firehouse and turned left onto North Moore Street heading for Hudson Street.

"Depends upon what we find at her apartment Egon." Ray said turning right onto Hudson Street. "My guess is no. Remember what happened at her old place with Zuul. She stayed away for three days."

"Well then," Egon told Ray, "we had better bring her a change of clothes to wear."

"Good point Egon." Ray said looking for 8th Avenue. "I doubt that Peter has any baby diapers for Oscar either. Better grab some of his things too."

Both men fell silent, lost in their own thoughts as Ray drove up 8th Avenue to West 14th Street. Egon knew that Ray would take West 14th Street cross-town to 1st Avenue, and then travel uptown to 77th Street.

So the slime had tried once again to grab someone else. It had tried to grab Ray that Friday night when he was frightened. Dana must have been frightened too for the slime to come after her. How many people had it claimed already? How many more did it need? Ray was concerned about the people in his group class on Wednesday nights. They were all on the edge of reality and could go either way at any moment. Would the slime pick up on this and consume them?

Was Iris at risk too? Ever since Saturday when Egon had found out about Eden and Ben, Iris had gone into solitude. She had locked herself into her room on Christmas Eve and had not come out for anything other than to use the bathroom.

Eden was upset that Iris wasn't talking to her either. Concerned for both women, and not knowing what to do, Egon had called his mother. He needed advice.

"Are you sure you want my advice Egon?" she told him, "Uncle Cyrus might be the one you want to talk to. I really don't know much about the science community these days with your father gone."

Egon smiled, "No mother it's more womanly advice that I am after."

Egon then proceeded to tell her about what happened on Saturday night. How he had misunderstood Eden and Iris slapping him, to what had happened to Eden and Iris that night in June. Egon even told her that he had gotten engaged.

"That's wonderful news, son." Katherine said, then became serious. "Egon, it's going to be hard on Iris, loosing her lover. There are going to be days that bring about unhappy thoughts and feelings. It can't be helped. By bringing it up on Saturday so close to Christmas wasn't a good idea, but I can see why Grace did it."

"You needed to be told. You should have been told when you and Eden started dating seriously. But I can see Eden's point. She was just at a year after the miscarriage and accident had occurred. She was starting to trust men again and didn't want to lose you."

"Remember, Egon, that Iris had to watch all this unfold with her friend. Eden was dating again, even though you were not sleeping together, human contact is a wondrous thing to behold."

"Being touched is a basic human need. It is as important to human survival as air, light, water, and food. Iris probably feels that no one will ever touch her again because of her scar that she received that night. She was engaged for a few moments before Adam was taken from her. When you asked Eden for her hand in marriage that brought her back to that day. And then, I'm guessing here Egon, when you pulled her up from the floor and hugged her, then my son, you did something that I'm sure no one has done for over a year and a half to Iris. You kissed her. And not on the lips, on her scar. That scar that reminds her everyday, when she looks into the mirror, of what she has lost. This was probably more comforting than words could ever be to Iris."

Egon listened as his mother continued talking to him. What she was saying was true. He had made human contact with Iris and now she was at a loss of what to do. Iris's love and protection of Eden had kept her going until Egon had broken her emotionally. Now he felt bad. What was he to do, he asked his mother.

"Be there for her." she replied. "Break into her room if need be. Don't let her get depressed. Hold her, love her, tell her she is needed. Iris desires to be connected to someone. Help her find that someone. Basic human contact is bigger than any idea. Sometimes it's enough and sometimes it's not enough. Without it, we die. Contact grounds you, it brings you back."

"Egon, we're here." Ray said, shutting off the car's engine and opening the door.

Roused from his thoughts, Egon grabbed the Giga Meter from the backseat and followed Ray inside the apartment building.

Walking up the hallway to Dana's apartment Ray asked Egon. "Still worried about Iris?"

"Yes." Egon told his friend, stopping before Dana's door. Turning the handle Egon found the door unlocked. Dana must have left in a hurry for her not to lock the apartment.

"How is she?" Ray asked as they stepped into the apartment, the lights still on.

"Doctor Stringham says stable, even though he put a catheter into her and started her on intravenous fluids because she has refused to eat and drink since Christmas."

"Are you planning on going there tonight?"

Egon looked at his Seiko M516 'voice note' watch that he wore on his left hand. It was eight o'clock.

"I'd like to if we get done here early." Egon told Ray, dropping his hand.

"Good. I'll drop you off." Ray said grabbing the Giga Meter out of Egon's hands. "I'll take the bathroom. Go find a suitcase for Dana and start packing. I'll come find you when I'm done."

Fifteen minutes later the men were returning to Ecto-1A. Ray was carrying the suitcase that Egon had packed.

"Interesting Egon." Ray said placing the suitcase into the back and climbing into the car, he started the engine. "There was a little bit of pink ooze around the rim of the tub but no readings until I got over the drainpipe."

Climbing into the car next to Ray, Egon asked. "Oh yea, what was the reading?"

"The drainpipe was hot 2.5 GeV's." Ray told him.

"That's the same reading as under the pavement on 1st Avenue just behind us." Egon said.

"Yea. I noticed that too." Ray said, driving west on 77th Street heading towards 5th Avenue. "It has to be related, but how?"

"Ray I have a theory that the slime is being controlled by an outside force. It's the only thing that can explain The Scoleri Brothers appearing out of it."

"How's that?"

"Well, Judge Wexler was angry at us and of course the slime picked up on that. But to make The Scoleri Brothers appear that had to be an outside force looking, digging into the judge's mind when he was yelling about burning us at the stake. It had to look into his past to find that moment that had probably scared him. The Scoleri Brothers must have said something to Judge Wexler before they were electrocuted, so it brought them back to finish what was left undone."

"Like, we are going to kill you? Remember how he told us that." Ray questioned Egon. "Interesting theory, but can you prove it?"

"No. Maybe I can get more clues to the puzzle at the museum tomorrow."

Ray dropped Egon off at 72nd Street and Central Park West. He told Egon that he would pick him up tomorrow morning outside his studio apartment on their way to The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Eden greeted Egon when she opened the door. After releasing Eden from a hug he asked if there were any changes with Iris.

"Not really." Eden said wiping a tear away. "I just wish she would talk to me."

"Maybe I can try." Egon suggested as he crossed the living room to knock lightly on Iris's bedroom door.

"Iris, it's me Egon." he said. "Can I come in?"

"Yes." Iris replied.

"Well that's new." Eden said, "I'll come back later."

Egon opened the door to Iris's bedroom. Having never been inside he didn't know what to expect. It was the same basic layout as Eden's. There were two windows with shades drawn on the back wall and the closet to the right of that. Iris's bed was to his left with her sewing machines and dress forms beyond that. Egon knew that Iris worked as the Assistant Costume Designer for the 'Met' and she also designed wedding dresses during the day. The room was dimly lit with a desk lamp being the only source of light in the room to Egon's right.

Egon could see that Grace and Paul had set up a pole with an intravenous bag of fluids hanging from it. Egon crossed the room to sit in the desk chair that someone had pulled over to the bed's right side. Taking Iris's hand in his, at his mother's suggestion, Egon spoke to Iris.

"How about you getting dressed and we'll go dancing?" Egon teased her.

Iris half-heartily laughed. "That's not funny Doctor Spengler."

"Neither is you lying here in bed not talking to your friends." Egon told her, stroking her black unkempt hair.

Iris closed her eyes. Egon's mother had been right. Iris needed human contact. Like a dying man in the desert needed water, and Egon was going to give it to her, if it meant she would get better.

"I'm sorry Doctor Spengler." Iris said opening her eyes and looking his way. "I want to talk to Eden, but if I do I'm afraid she is going to give the ring back to me."

"Why?"

"Because Adam and I had talked about getting married at Christmas time before he proposed to me."

Egon nodded his head, he understood. "I won't tell Eden if you promise me you'll talk to her."

Iris closed her eyes. Tears starting to form there. "I'm glad she is happy now." Iris said, "We have been through so much together."

Iris's lips turned into a smile. "Remember the time I told you I got mugged in Central Park?"

"Yes." Egon said, wondering where this was going.

"Well I did it to get you to walk Eden home." Iris said opening her eyes. "Eden had told me she wished that you would walk her home, like she had seen other couples at the 'Met' do. Knowing you cared for Eden and didn't want anything to happen to her, I let it drop that we were not safe."

Realization came to Egon's face. "You little vixen." he said, "You set me up!"

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Egon said, leaning over and kissing Iris on her forehead. "You are probably the reason I'm sitting here today."

"Doctor Spengler," Iris said becoming serious, "I'd like to apologize to Eden could you send her in here please?"

"Sure." Egon said, but as he was about half-way up Iris took his arm into a death grip.

"Iris what's wrong?" Egon asked, concerned that maybe she was going to hurt him.

"Eden tells me that you are into paranormal activities. Is that correct?"

"Yes, Iris. It's called parapsychology." Egon was alert now. Something was troubling Iris beyond losing Adam.

"There's something in the bathtub's drain." she whispered.

"Iris what is it?"

Egon knew from the scared look in her eyes that it wasn't just a plumbing problem.

"I've been hearing it for awhile now. A couple of months. Very softly at first. I figured it was the neighbors. You can hear them through the pipes you know."

"Yes, I know." Egon replied.

"But now Doctor Spengler it's getting louder and it wants me. I can hear it calling me, beckoning to me to come and join it. I'm afraid of going in there to take a bath."

"Did this noise get louder for you on Sunday?" Egon asked, sitting on the bed next to Iris.

"Yes. Could you please see what it is?"

"Iris, I will do my best." Egon said giving her hand a squeeze. "I'm going to get Eden for you now. Then I'm going after the nightmare in your bathroom."

Egon's theory was correct. The slime was being controlled by an outside force. It was feeding off the city's ill wills, crimes, emotions, and most likely his negative calibration experiments that he had been doing. It was growing because of all the 'bad vibes', as Winston had termed it, that the city was feeding it. Iris wasn't safe because of her emotional status right now. If truth be told no one was safe.

Egon left Iris's bedroom and headed down the hallway to the kitchen to use Eden's telephone. He had to bring Ray into this. The slime had first gone after Ray, then Dana and Oscar. Now it was after Iris. It was going after the people he cared about and he, Doctor Egon Spengler, was going to put a stop to it.


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: Ghostbusters II is owned by Columbia Pictures an written by Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd. I am only borrowing the parts that I need for my story.

Chapter 13

Peter was waiting outside of the Metropolitan Museum of Art located on 5th Avenue in Central Park for Ray, Egon, and Winston.

Ever since Tuesday night when he had gotten drunk at Egon's party, Peter had been thinking. Egon, of all the people in the world, had found someone to love. Peter smiled, she wasn't bad looking either. Peter just wished that he had Dana back in his life with him.

Peter remembered waking up on Wednesday morning to find Ray in his apartment. Embarrassed that his apartment was a mess, Peter told Ray that he was fine and sent him home. Peter remembered back to when Dana was in his life. He was happy then, but being his own worst enemy, he had decided that he wasn't going to go the next step and marry Dana. Peter had wanted to be free, to do what he wanted with his life. He had left Dana without a backwards glance and now he regretted it.

Peter had grabbed the bottle of bourbon at Egon's party to try and drown his sorrows away, only to find his mind returning to Dana. He remembered Ray and Egon walking him home and how he would lean on one and then the other as he stumbled down the street.

"Look at you guys." Peter said his voice slurred from the alcohol. "Walking this sorry ass excuse of a scientist home."

Ray had said something to him, but he didn't remember what it was, as he continued on his rampage.

"You know Egon," Peter said bumping into him, almost falling to the ground. "I should have been that kid's father. Now look at me. A used scientist who no one wants or loves."

Peter remembered at some point getting into a cab with Ray and Egon and then passing out on his doorstep. After Peter had sent Ray home, he had grabbed a six pack of Miller beer from his refrigerator and sat down to try and forget Dana again. Having passed out on the couch, the next thing he knew he was being woken up to frantic knocking at the door and some kid crying. Must be the neighbor and her kid Peter thought, as he raised himself up from the couch.

"What the hell is this?" he muttered to himself, trying to cross the room without falling down.

When he opened the door and saw Dana standing there, he was shocked. She pushed her way into his apartment and started telling him about some pink ooze. Shaking himself into action, Peter had called Ray and then had Dana stay the night at his place.

Now as Peter waited for the others to join him he knew he had to change, if he was going to keep Dana in his life. He wanted Dana, needed her, and he was going to bend over backwards to do that. Ecto-1A pulling up in front of the museum brought Peter out of his thoughts.

"Did you find anything at Dana's?" Peter asked Ray, as he got out of the driver's seat and walked to the back of the car.

"Nothing." Ray said coming to a stop at the back of the car. "Just some mood-slime residue around the rim of the bathtub. But we did turn up some interesting stuff on this Vigo character you mentioned."

Ray handed Peter the paper from last night that Egon had printed out.

"Egon found the name Vigo the Carpathian in Leon Zundinger's 'Magicians, Martyrs, and Madmen'. Listen to this…" Ray said trailing off as he gestured to Egon who was standing behind him.

Egon turned to Peter, his proton pack already on his back. "Vigo the Carpathian, born 1505, died 1610." he told Peter.

"A hundred and five years old? He hung in there, didn't he." Peter said.

"He didn't die of old age either Peter." Ray said turning around from retrieving the Globuscope from the back of the car. "He was poisoned, stabbed, shot, hung, stretched, disemboweled, drawn and quartered."

"Ouch!" Peter said. "I guess they wanted to make sure this guy was dead."

"I guess he wasn't too popular at the end there." Winston said listening to the conversation.

"No, Winston, he was not exactly a man of the people. Also known as Vigo the Cruel, Vigo the Torturer, Vigo the Despised, and Vigo the Unholy." Egon said, watching as Winston closed the back of Ecto-1A up.

"Wasn't he called Vigo the butch?" Peter questioned, taking the camera that Ray handed to him and placing the strap around his neck.

"Peter," Ray said as he walked towards the stairs, "this guy was one bad monkey. He dabbled in all the Black Arts, and listen to his prophecy. Just before his head died, his last words were, Death is but a door, time is but a window. I'll be back."

"That's it? I'll be back?" Peter said walking backwards up the stairs listening to Ray.

"It's a rough translation from the Moldavian." Egon told Peter going through the doors and into the museum's lobby.

Rudy the guard looked up in surprise as he saw the "Ghostbusters" enter the museum.

"Hey, Doctor Venkman. What's going on?" Rudy asked Peter.

"We're just going up to Restorations for a minute." Peter waved as he walked by the guard's desk.

"Oh, I can't let you do that." Rudy said standing up and coming away from his deck to stop Peter and his friends. "Mr. Poha told me not to let you up there anymore."

Stopping, Peter turned serious. "Okay, we were trying to keep this quiet but I think you can be trusted. Tell him, Ray." Peter said slapping Ray on his back and pushing him forward.

Ray stood up tall, all official looking.

"Mister, you have an Ecto-paretic, subfusionary flux in this building."

"We got a flux?" Rudy asked, clearly confused by what Ray had just told him.

"You got a flux and a half." Winston said all serious, to drive the point home more.

"Now if you don't want to be the…" Ray trailed off lost in thought.

"Fifth person." Egon supplied.

"Yea, that's right. Thanks, Egon." Ray said. "The fifth person ever to die in a meta-shock from a planar rift, I suggest you get down behind that desk and don't move until we give you the signal "Stabilize-All Clear."

Rudy gulped and ran behind his desk, hunkering down behind it as Peter led the way upstairs, the others following.

"Nice Ray." Winston said walking up the stairs next to him, Egon trailing behind them. "Where did you come up with that?"

"Watching Doctor Who." Ray replied.

"Watching who?" Winston asked.

Ray smiled, "That's right." Ray responded reaching the top of the steps and turning to follow Peter down the hallway.

Winston just shook his head.

As Egon and his fellow companions entered room 304, the Restorations Room, he could see that it faced west. Its windows looking out over the gardens of Central Park. Peter standing next to him said.

"Suck in the guts guys. We're the Ghostbusters."

Smiling Egon inhaled and held his breath as a small short, curly haired, gentleman came running over to stop them.

"No! No!" he shouted at them. "Go! Leave!"

"Who's this wiggler?" Ray asked Peter.

"He's yours Ray." Peter replied. "Go get 'em."

Ray walked forward extending his hand to stop the man's approach.

"Hi, Doctor Ray Stantz of the Ghostbusters." Ray said beckoning for the others to join him. "Nice to meet you. We are just doing a routine spook check. We won't be long." Ray deposited the confused man into the waiting arms of Peter, as he called to Egon and Winston.

"Okay boys. Let's sweep it."

Peter grabbed the man's right arm, to keep him from following Ray, and draped his coat over the man's left arm.

"Doctor Venkman. Dana is not here." the man told him watching as Ray, Egon, and Winston started scanning the studio with monitoring devices.

"I know Janosz." Peter replied.

"Then why have you come?" the man named Janosz asked.

"Well, we got an alert that there was a major creep in the area, and we checked our list, and your name came out on top. Say Johnny," Peter said putting his arm around Janosz's shoulder, "I never got to ask you. Where the hell are you from?"

Janosz looked nervously at Peter as he answered his question. "The Upper West Side. Why?"

Egon came over to Peter, Giga Meter in his hands. "Peter this entire room is extremely hot." he said, as his Giga Meter started beeping and he went off in search of the source.

"What exactly are you looking for Doctor Venkman?" Janosz asked, watching Egon walk away from him.

"We'll know when we find it. You just sit tight. This won't take long." Peter told Janosz patting him on the back.

"Now that's one ugly dude." Winston said behind Peter pointing to the painting of Vigo that sat in the alcove.

"Oh that's Vigo." Peter said walking towards the painting and picking up the camera that he had hung around his neck. "Vigo, look this way please." Peter told the painting as he started taking pictures of it.

Janosz rushed in front of the painting, arms spread wide.

"No! No!" he hollowed, "No photographs please. Slides are available in the gift shop."

As Janosz gestured to his right to show the way out of the studio, Winston grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the painting.

"Thanks, Winston." Peter said above Janosz's surprised cry.

"Beautiful, beautiful. Work with me, baby." Peter told the painting snapping pictures as he went.

Egon shook his head. Peter was having fun.

"Ray, I'm going over here to get one more reading." Egon pointed to his right, talking to his friend who was standing above him on a metal staircase that was pulled over to the painting, so that restoration work could be done on it.

"Okay, Egon let me know if you find something." Ray told him turning his attention back to the painting as he watched for any signs of movement. Vigo's eyes stared lifelessly into the distance.

Egon walked off leaving Ray alone with the painting. Ray scanned the painting with his Globuscope. The Globuscope was a panoramic camera that took 360 degree pictures of the surrounding environment. By pushing the button the camera made one full revolution, the internal mechanism pulling fresh film across the slot as it produced a long panoramic photo.

As Ray scanned the painting he came to Vigo's eyes. Ray stopped what he was doing and cocked his head. Did he just hear something? As Ray stared into the painting's eyes he seamed to become paralyzed. Ray could feel something reaching into the depths of his soul. Looking, searching, for something.

"There, that's what I need." it said, as Ray relived the night of his prescription drug overdose.

_Ray sat before his kitchen table. All the prescription bottles that he could find in his place in front of him. Ray sighed. There was nothing left for him. It was just a little over two years since they had helped Dana. He owed the city so much money and they had taken his job away from him. His best friend Egon was gone. He had moved back home to pay off his debt. Winston, Janine, and Louise had left and moved on to other jobs. Ray hated Peter and didn't care where he was at all. Peter was the one that had caused this to happen to him after all._

_Ray opened the bottles, and one at a time, proceeded to take the contents of them with a six pack of beer that he had bought earlier that day. He heard the phone ringing and ignored it. He knew it was his sister. She had tried to talk to him and get him involved with life, but Ray didn't want to be bothered. He wanted to end his life, he didn't want to be a burden to anyone anymore._

_Ray laid his head down on the table. He was starting to get sleepy. Was that the door opening to his shop he just heard? He sat up straight. No. He had locked the door, he was pretty sure of it. Ray sat his head back down on the table. As he started to close his eyes, he swore he saw a woman coming into view calling his name._

"_Raymond Francis Stantz! What have you done?"_

_Ray vaguely remembered an ambulance ride and the hospital emergency room. What Ray did remember vividly was the two months he spent in the hospital that his sister had him checked into. Then he had started to get better._

"No, go back." it said.

Ray could feel it taking his memory back to the kitchen table.

"There, stay there." it said, "Join us."

Ray stood transfixed on Vigo's eyes as they glowed red and then subsided. Ray dropped the hand with the Globuscope in it. Ray felt a strange and subtle transformation occurring within him. It scared him but Ray found he couldn't run away. It was consuming him, taking over his body.

"You finished here?" Winston asked Ray as he tapped him on his arm.

"Huh? What?" Ray said confused but clearly able to move again, the spell having been broken.

"Are you all right?" Winston asked Ray helping him down from the metal staircase. "You're not coming down with something are you?"

Winston led the way out of the Restoration room, Ray by his side.

"No, I'm fine." Ray waved his hand at Winston. "I just got light-headed for a second there. Ready to go to Eden's place."

"Ready? Man, Peter says this chick is hot stuff. I can't wait to meet her." Winston told Ray as they made their way to the stairs.

"Winston, Peter thinks every girl is hot stuff." Ray pointed out.

Coming down the last set of stairs, Ray saw Peter and Egon waiting for them in the lobby. As they started to head out the doors, Peter stopped and snapped his fingers.

"Sorry guys I forgot about Rudy." Peter said cupping his hands around his mouth he shouted, "Hey Rudy. Stabilize-All Clear!"

The men watched as Rudy raised his head up from behind his desk.

"Okay, now we can go." Peter said leading the way out of the museum.

Walking down the stairs to the car Egon looked over his readings that he had taken.

"There's definitely something going on in that studio. The PKE levels were max-plus and the Giga Meter was showing all red." Egon told the group as they reached the car.

"I'd put my money on that Vigo character." Winston told Egon, opening the back door to Ecto-1A and helping him off with his proton pack.

"Yeah, Winston, that's a safe bet." Peter said taking the camera from around his neck and placing it in the back with the proton packs. "Ray, you and Egon see what else you can dig up on Vigo and this little weasel Janosz Poha. Those two were made for each other."

Winston drove them all over to Eden's place on the other side of Central Park. He was concerned about the way Ray looked. Ray just wasn't himself, but Winston couldn't put his finger on what was troubling him about Ray.

When they got to Eden's apartment, Ray and Egon had gone to check out the bathroom, while Peter tried to pick up on Helen.

Standing in the living room waiting for the guys, Winston smiled. Same old Peter he thought. That's when he saw her.

There were two doors that faced the living room. As Egon and Ray disappeared down the hallway towards the bathroom, the second one opened. Tentatively a woman about his age came out holding a white bathrobe closed around her.

"Doctor Spengler?" she called.

Winston rushed to her side. "Hi, I'm Winston." he said, "Egon went to look at your bathroom."

"Oh." she said, turning to go back into the room she had just come out of.

"Here," Winston said taking her arm and leading her over to the couch. "I'll sit with you while the guys are doing their thing."

Winston helped the woman over to the couch and sat down next to her. She was looking sickly, but beneath that Winston could see a strong, courageous, woman sitting before him.

"I'm sorry I didn't catch your name." Winston tried again offering the woman his outstretched hand. "I'm Winston Zeddemore."

The woman took his hand. "Iris Churchill." she said.

"Really!?" Winston said placing his other hand on top of hers. "No kidding! That's my middle name. Winston Churchill Zeddemore. My father named us after the allies in World War II."

"So your father served in the war?" Iris asked not letting go of Winston's hand.

"No." Winston replied, "He was a construction worker. The only one who saw any action was me. Vietnam."

"Really!?" Iris said studying the man sitting next to her. "Me too. What division?"

"Air Force, and you?"

"Army."

"Wow, it looks like we have a lot in common." Winston told her.

"Winston we are done here." Egon said coming around the corner and into the living room.

Egon saw Winston on the couch with Iris and they were holding hands. Good for you Winston. Egon thought, and Iris was at least out of her bedroom.

As Egon thought about it, they did make a good couple. They had both served in the same war and probably had a few tales to tell from their experiences.

Egon crossed over and sat on the coffee table in front of Iris. Winston released Iris's hand, a bit embarrassed that Egon had seen them.

"Iris, we checked the tub out." Egon told her. "There's no readings, but if you hear anything or see anything call me. Day or night. Deal?"

"Yes, I will Doctor Spengler."

"Good." Egon said leaning foreword and kissing her on her forehead. Taking her hand and squeezing it he got up from the coffee table.

As Egon said his goodbyes to Eden, Winston turned to Iris before he left.

"So can we have lunch tomorrow?" he asked her.

"What?" Iris said a little taken back. "You want to have lunch with me?"

"Yes. I'd like to get to know you better."

"You're not afraid?"

"Afraid of what?" Winston asked her.

"Of this." Iris said turning her face to let Winston see the right side of it.

Winston had caught a glimpse of something on her face when he had walked her over to the couch. He had sat down on Iris's left side and had not seen the whole thing. As Iris showed him the ugly raised scar he could only think of his mother's words to him. These he repeated to Iris.

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and all I see Iris is a beautiful woman before me now."

"Anyways," Winston said getting up from the couch and walking to the front door realizing he was the last one to leave, "You should see the scar down the back of my left leg. I'll see you tomorrow for lunch at noon. Goodbye Iris."

Iris sat on the couch. She couldn't believe what had just happened to her. Someone had seen beyond her scar and it was someone of her same race. Her heart did a flip. He had asked her out too! She couldn't believe it.

"Iris," Eden asked, "you okay?"

"Eden," Iris said looking into her friend's face. "Did you see him? He was…" Iris trailed off. What word was she looking for.

"Cute?" Eden supplied.

No that wasn't it. Iris thought.

"Handsome?" Helen offered.

No, not that one either. Then it came to her.

"Gorgeous!" Iris said as she let her head fall back onto the couch.

Eden and Helen giggled. Iris was back.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ray was driving back to the firehouse from Eden's apartment. He seamed a little distracted to Winston, who was sitting in the passenger seat. Suddenly Ray swerved and honked the horn at another driver who had cut him off.

"Idiot! Move it, you jerk!" Ray yelled at the driver.

Winston just shook his head. New York City drivers.

Egon and Peter were in the back. Peter was sitting in the jumper seat with Egon facing forward.

"Egon, thanks for packing a suitcase for Dana." Peter said, grabbing a hold of the seatback as Ray weaved through traffic on 72nd Street.

"Your welcome." Egon said grabbing a hold of a safety strap. "I really hate Ray's driving." he muttered.

"Hey, Speed Racer! Slow it down to under 80, will you? You're scaring the socks off of Egon." Peter hollered at Ray.

Turning left, onto West End Avenue, Ray muttered. "Sure Pete."

Concerned about Ray, as he turned the corner too fast and a hubcap came off of Ecto-1A and went rolling down the street in front of them, Winston asked. "Going a little fast aren't we, Ray?"

Ray turned on him, viciously saying, "Are you telling me how to drive?"

"No, I just thought…" Winston said holding up his hands.

Ray cut him off, "Well don't think!"

Ray honked the horn again and placed his foot onto the accelerator.

"Hey, Peter," Winston called over the backseat. "Something's wrong."

"What?" Peter asked, looking out the window.

Peter could see that they were on West End Avenue, frowning he turned his attention to Ray.

"Ray, where are we going?" Peter asked him as he turned around in his seat. "Aren't we supposed to be going down 7th Avenue?"

"Short cut." Ray told him.

Peter turned around to look at Egon. "Short cut?" he questioned Egon.

Egon just shrugged his shoulders. He looked out the window to see that they were on 11th Avenue now. He had no idea where Ray was going. Egon saw pedestrians leap to safety as Ray ran a red light. Winston saw it too.

"Are you crazy, man? You're going to kill somebody!" Winston said really worried and frightened now.

Ray turned towards Winston with a demonic smile.

"No, I'm going to kill everybody!" Ray shouted, swerving off the road and into Dewitt Clinton Park.

All three men jumped into action at the same time. Peter turned around to grab Ray by the neck and shoulders, hauling him up and over the backseat with Egon's help. Winston grabbed the steering wheel and slid across the seat. Winston stomped down on the breaks, but not before the car skidded into a tree and came to a jarring stop.

Egon opened his eyes to see that Dana's suitcase had opened up during the crash. Oscar's and her clothes were all over the car.

"Men aren't suppose to wear these." Egon told Peter, removing a bra from his head.

"Speak for yourself." Peter told Egon, removing a pair of underwear from Egon's shoulder.

Peter and Egon pulled Ray out of the car and laid him on the ground. He was unconscious. They were all dazed and shaken, but unhurt from the accident.

"Peter, do you know what part of town Ray landed us in?" Winston asked.

"No, tell me." Peter said taking a pair of Dana's jeans and folding them up placed them under Ray's head.

"Hell's Kitchen." Winston replied.

Egon thought about Winston's statement. It was definitely the slime that had done this. Where did Ray pick it up from?

"What…What happened?" Ray asked coming around.

"You just picked up three penalty points on your driver's license." Peter told him.

"Are you all right?" Winston asked, bending down to help Ray sit up.

"Yeah, I guess so." Ray said as he sat up. "It was the strangest thing. I knew what I was doing but I couldn't stop. This really terrible feeling came over me and…" Ray trailed off and laid back down on the ground.

"I don't know, Egon." Ray said, "I just felt like driving into the trees and ending it all." Ray closed his eyes. "I'm sorry boys."

"It's okay, Ray." Winston said placing a hand on Ray's shoulder.

"Egon, let's go see what kind of damage Ray did to Ecto-1A." Peter said as he grabbed Egon's arm and led him to the front of the car.

As they pretended to inspect the damage, Peter leaned over and whispered into Egon's ear. "Watch him, Egon. Don't even let him shave."

Peter left the others by Ecto-1A to go to find a payphone to call a tow truck.

"Just another day at the office." he muttered.


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: Ghostbusters II is owned by Columbia Pictures an written by Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd. I am only borrowing the parts that I need for my story.

Chapter14

Egon was with Ray developing the film that Peter had taken of Vigo. He was hoping that this batch would turn out. The ones that Ray had taken with the Globuscope didn't have any pictures of Vigo, only views of the studio.

Winston had been worried about Ray before he had even gotten into the car at the museum, but he hadn't told anyone. After the crash Winston had told Egon what he saw.

"I just thought that you had to be super still taking pictures with the Globuscope." Winston told Egon.

"No, not super still." Egon replied, "But it does explain what Ray did with Ecto-1A."

Egon had explained to Winston that he thought the slime was being controlled by an outside force. He was hoping the pictures that Peter had taken with his Brooks-Veriwide camera would prove that.

As Egon stood by the sink, pouring the developer into the hole in the top of the developing tank, he thought back to when the police had showed up at Dewitt Clinton Park. The police had called the paramedics to the scene because of Ray, but he had refused to go to the hospital with them.

"Too many bad memories." he told Egon when the paramedics had left.

Agitating the film in the developing tank Egon didn't blame Ray for not going to the hospital. Having been confined to only their room, when Ray and Egon had been at Mount Sinai Hospital, both men had gotten a little 'stir crazy' by Sunday afternoon.

The timer went off and Egon poured the developer back into its jug sitting in the sink. Grabbing the jug of blix solution from the sink, Egon poured it into the top of the developing tank until it was full. Setting the timer for 6 ½ minutes, Egon smacked the developing tank against the counter a couple of times to dislodge any bubbles.

"So Ray," he said letting the developing tank sit on the counter, "any thoughts why the first set of film didn't develop properly?"

"My guess is the chemicals were not at 100 degrees Fahrenheit." Ray mumbled as he placed a photograph in the developer from a negative that he was working on.

"You know what I mean Ray." Egon said, as he pointed his finger at him in the darkroom with only the red safety light on. "There are no photos of Vigo on the whole roll."

Ray sighed. "Egon I really don't want to talk about it. It brought back a time in my life that I would rather forget."

"The night of your attempted suicide?" Egon questioned as the timer went off.

"Yes." Ray said, as he watched Egon pour the blix solution back into its jug sitting in the sink.

Egon turned on the water in the sink and took the lid off of the developing tank.

"Ray I know how you feel." Egon said checking the temperature of the running water. "But we need to figure out how a painting, a seamlessly lifeless painting at that, put the suggestion of killing us all into your head."

Now that the running water was 100 degrees, Egon put the developing tank under it and let the water wash the film as he set the timer for 3 ½ minutes.

"I know." Ray said as he moved his picture to the stop bath. "I could hear it, like the slime at Van Horne Station, calling to me. But, I don't know, something else happened then."

As the timer went off Egon turned off the running water and dumped the water out of the developing tank and into the sink. Egon added the stabilizer to the developing tank and set the timer once again.

"PTSD?" Egon suggested to Ray.

Moving his picture to the fixer Ray said, "No Egon. I don't think it was post-traumatic stress disorder."

Egon poured the stabilizer back into its container as he turned the water back on to wash all the chemicals off of the film. "So Ray if not PTSD, what do you think it was?"

Ray sighed as he moved his photograph to the water bath. Another picture of the studio was on the paper before him. Ray had not taken one photo of Vigo. They were hoping that Peter's film would come out with photos of Vigo.

"Egon it was more in the lines of spirit possession." Ray finally said.

"Ray," Egon said walking over to him in the darkroom. "Scientific materialists, skeptics, and empiricists have all said that those who have experienced demonic possessions have sometimes exhibited symptoms similar to those associated with mental illnesses."

"Egon are you trying to say I have schizophrenia or DID? You know that Dissociative Identity Disorder or DID is extremely rare and constitutes only about 1% of the entire population."

"On the other hand schizophrenia does have auditory hallucinations and paranoia." Egon pointed out. "I'm just trying to look for the simplest explanations first."

Egon walked back over to the sink and shut off the running water. He lifted the film reel out of the developing tank and lightly shook off any of the remaining water on it. Turning the reel clockwise until the top half came apart Egon took some film clips and clipped them onto the end of the film negative. Lifting up the clip he pulled the film up and out of the reel.

"What's the verdict? Did it work?" Ray asked. "What have you got? I got a nice shot of the roof. Hey, did you know that they have a skylight in the studio?"

"Please, please, please." Egon said to himself as he inspected the negatives before him.

"YES!" Egon said aloud as he saw pictures of Vigo on the negatives.

Egon clipped the other film clip he had onto the bottom of the negatives to act as a weight and hung the negatives up to dry.

Two hours later found both men back in the darkroom now turning the negatives into photos. It was getting close to lunchtime. Winston had suggested they all go out to eat when Ray and Egon were finished.

With the safety light on, Egon was studying one of the photographs that he had taken out of the water bath with a magnifying lens that hung on a line in front of him.

"You were right Ray." he said, "Multi planar curtiean eminations." Egon could see that the photo had a 3-D effect to it.

He thought back to two hours before when Ray and him were waiting for the negatives to dry. Sitting in Egon's lab they had bounced theories off of each other trying to explain what happened to Dana and Ray. Ray's theory was correct in the end. Ray had theorized that Vigo would have some kind of multi planar look to the photo. Ray believed that there was a living person trapped in the painting.

"Yeah," Ray said coming up behind him and clipping a photograph to the line, "well here's your next month's cover of GQ. Check out the aura on this sucker!" Ray pointed to the photo.

Egon took the magnifying lens and looked closer at the headshot of Vigo that Ray had placed up next to the one that he was looking at already. The human aura could be described as a fine, ethereal radiation or emanation surrounding each and every living human being. It extends from two to three feet, in all directions from the body in a ever changing kaleidoscopic of colors. In this case Vigo's aura was pink.

Turning on the overhead lights Ray said, "There's definitely a living presence there Egon."

"We should get a deeper look." Egon told Ray as he studied the photo.

"Why don't I run this wider shot through the spectronalizer?" Ray said as he carefully took a photo of Vigo out of the water bath and shook the water off of it before turning around to run the photo through the machine against the wall.

"Good idea Ray." Egon said as he placed the magnifying lens down on the counter and followed Ray. "I'll try turning up the rengence."

Ray fed the photo of Vigo into one end of the machine as Egon pressed the buttons on the front to the settings he wanted. As Egon stood up Ray asked him about what he wanted to have for lunch.

"So, what do you think? Chinese?"

Egon shook his head as he watched the picture of Vigo slip into the machine.

"How about Thai?"

"No way Egon." Ray said. "I remember that time I tried it with you before we went to my group class. I'm sorry but your favorite food was just to spicy for me. How about Greek instead?"

"No, Ray. I'm not in the mood for Greek. I'll compromise though, want to try Mexican?"

Ray shook his head, "Pizza?" he questioned.

Egon nodded his head yes. He could do that. "Thin or thick?"

"Chicago!" Ray said as the spectronalizer beeped that the photo was ready.

Egon took the photo from the machine and crossed back over to the line and clipped it onto an empty hook.

"What the hell is that?" Egon said to himself as he picked up the magnifying lens to study the new photo.

Egon saw that the enlarged head of Vigo was on the top of the photo with two columns off to either side and some kind of pink steps below.

Quietly Vigo looked into the men who were staring at him. The one with the glasses was interesting. There just behind his eyes was a scary thought.

"Yes, bring it back." it said to itself as the lock on the door silently slid into place locking both men into the darkroom.

"I know what it is." Ray said, his voice shaking with fear. He didn't ever want to experience that again. "I've seen it before."

Egon looked to Ray breaking his link with Vigo, but it was too late. Vigo had seen what he needed to frighten the man before him. Egon saw that Ray was frightened and it scared him a little.

"Good. Keep that fear." Vigo said.

"Where Ray?" Egon asked unaware of what Vigo was planning.

Ray took a step backwards and gulped. Pointing at the picture Ray told Egon.

"Egon, remember when you guys had me dangling like a worm on a hook a hundred feet below 1st Avenue?" his voice shaking even more.

Egon was definitely scared now. He knew that Ray had seen something that had frightened him to his very soul. Something that he didn't ever want to experience again.

"Yes Ray." Egon said watching his friend.

Dropping his hand Ray said, "That's the river of slime I told you about."

Vigo could sense that the man called Ray was scared. He had possessed him for a short time, but as the spell had been broken before Ray could be fully converted Vigo needed to try someone else. Vigo saw that the man called Egon was scared because his friend was. Vigo had also seen into the man's past and now he used that against him as he spontaneously combusted his photos.

"Huh?" Egon said, turning around, shocked that the photos had caught on fire before him.

Setting his magnifying lens down he looked to Ray.

"We need a blanket or a hose or something." Ray said to Egon.

Egon could think of only one thing. He had to get out. It was happening again and he was responsible. He had to get out of the room! Running for the door behind Ray he pounded on it when Ray went to open it and found he could not.

"Why's this closed?" Ray questioned Egon trying the door again.

"Winston!" Egon shouted banging on the door.

Getting no response Ray tried calling louder, "WINSTON!"

Egon found the heat getting unbearable. The photos were half-way gone and the chemicals in the trays were burning now as well. The fire moved onto the walls of the darkroom as Egon was taken back, back to his childhood. Remembering that he needed to escape he ran towards the other end of the room.

"That way. That way." he said.

Egon didn't hear Ray telling him. "What are we gonna do stick our heads in the toilet?"

As Egon fell against the wall trying to hide from the fire he called out to the one person he knew would save him. "FATHER!"

_Egon had set his College Chemistry book on the lab table with his stool pulled over to it. Carefully following the directions, he had filled a 75-milliliter beaker to the 13-ml level, with fuming red nitric acid of 98% concentration that he had gotten from his father's work a couple of days ago, and had placed the beaker in a ice bath to allow it to cool below room temperature._

_Sitting next to Egon on the lab table was a 99% solution of fuming sulfuric acid that he was adding to the beaker. As his father had taught him, Egon slowly added the acid to his mixture and was careful to avoid it splattering on him. Egon had seen a man severely burned one day at his father's work when the man had accidentally dropped a flask of acid onto the floor._

_When his two chemicals were mixed, Egon lowered their temperature by adding more ice to the bath. He wanted the temperature to drop by 10 or 15 degrees centigrade before he could go on. Taking a mercury-operated centigrade thermometer, Egon placed it into his mixture and recorded his readings into his composition notebook._

_His acid solution had now cooled to the desired temperature that he needed. It was time to add the last chemical. Egon knew that this chemical was to be added in small amounts using a medicine dropper, one drop at a time, until the entire surface of the acid was covered by it. Egon also knew that the nitration would take place as soon as he added the last chemical and it would produce heat. His solution must be kept below 30 degrees centigrade or it could be disastrous. That is why he had turned the heat off in the house even though it was the middle of January._

_As Egon slowly added the last chemical, drop by precious drop, he could hear the garage door open. His mother was back from picking up his father from work. Egon concentrated on what he was doing until he heard his mother shouting up the stairs at him to his room above the garage._

"_Egon. Why did you turn the heat off in the house? It's cold in here."_

"_NO!" Egon shouted, dropping the medicine dropper onto the lab table and sprinting for his closed bedroom door. _

_Egon had the door to his room opened when the heat from the vent over his lab table came on. The blast of hot air started melting his ice and rose the temperature of his solution. He wasn't prepared for the blast of hot intense heat on his backside as his nitroglycerin that he was making exploded._

_Egon turned around in the hallway to face his room. What had he done? The fire was engulfing his room. Coughing because of the smoke, Egon found he was having trouble breathing. His vision was also impaired because he had lost his glasses and his head hurt him._

_Panicked, he fell back against the wall in the hallway as he saw everything that belonged to him catch on fire._

"Egon!" he heard a voice he knew.

"_Father!" he cried out unable to move, paralyzed with fear._

_Egon saw a dark skinned man before him now through the smoke with a fire extinguisher in hand putting the fire out. But his father and Uncle Cyrus were not dark skinned. Where was his father? _

_Egon cried again, "Father!"_

"Egon!" Again the voice cried to him, one that he should know.

_Egon knew that he was in trouble now for his experiment, but it was his mother that hadn't read the note or she would never have turned on the heat._

"_Father." Egon said softer now as the smoke started getting to him._

_Egon slid down the wall to the floor in the hallway watching his room. His head dropped forward and he started to close his eyes. "Father…" he called again._

"Egon! I'm right here." the voice said again.

_Egon wasn't listening. He was tired and he wanted to sleep. He finally stopped his fight to stay awake as he felt his father's arms around him now pulling him away from the wall. With his last ounce of strength, Egon reached out to his father and draped his arms around his neck. Letting his head fall onto his father's shoulder as he felt himself being lifted up and carried away from the fire. _

_Before he fell asleep he muttered, "I'm sorry father."_

"Egon darling, it's okay." a female voice spoke to him.

_Egon's eyes were still closed as he heard the voice. When did his mother get here? Egon didn't remember the ambulance ride to the hospital but he did remember staying overnight at the hospital for what the doctors had called 'supportive measures'. They had kept Egon at the hospital as his head had been hurting him and he was light-headed if he tried to stand or sit up. He was also feeling nausea and had refused the Jell-O that his father had offered him earlier._

"It was amazing that he didn't burn the whole house down." a man's voice was saying.

_Uncle Cyrus? Wait, he was supposed to be at his home. The one he had almost burnt to the ground with his mother. She needed to pack so that they could stay at Uncle Cyrus's place while his father and Uncle Cyrus rebuilt the garage and his room. Was she done packing already?_

"Oh, my poor love." he thought he heard his mother say.

_No, wait something wasn't right. Egon knitted his brows together. Love? His mother must be talking to his father._

"Look Ryan. He's coming around."

_Ryan? Now Egon knew something wasn't right. The doctor who had seen him earlier that day was not called Ryan. _

Egon opened his eyes and sat straight up in bed. Immediately regretting it he closed his eyes and placed his hands on the sides of his head.

"Oh!" he moaned lying back down.

"Egon it's okay. You're safe now, the fire is out." the woman's voice said again.

Egon rolled onto his right side towards the voice. "Mother?" he questioned as he reached out with his left hand.

"Egon it's me." the female voice said again taking his hand.

Egon slowly opened his eyes to see a woman sitting in a chair next to a bed that he was in. Even though he didn't have his glasses on, and the person was blurry, he knew it wasn't his mother sitting before him holding his hand. Why wasn't he in the hospital? Egon was puzzled at what had happened to him as he studied the woman sitting before him. She was a beautiful woman with long, thick, straight brown hair that hung to her waist. She had large, round, dark green eyes with full lips. Smooth skin covered her oval face. He knew this woman and she loved him. Why was she here? Egon remembered now what had happened.

He had been developing the negatives into photographs from Peter's camera with Ray when the photographs had caught on fire. The men had tried to get out the door but found it locked. Egon had panicked and had plastered himself against the wall of the darkroom. He had remembered calling for his father. 'How stupid was that.' Egon said to himself as he rolled onto his back and took his hand away from the woman holding it. Placing his hands on both sides of his head again, Egon had a scary thought. He had gotten out somehow but where was Ray?

"RAY!" Egon shouted sitting up again.

Wishing he hadn't as his head started pounding again he shouted, "I have to get Ray out!"

Egon struggled against the two men and the woman who were there trying to keep him in bed.

"Egon!" that voice came again. "I'm right here."

Egon looked beyond the men and woman that he was fighting to see a very blurry Ray standing there unhurt.

"Oh my…" Egon swallowed the lump in his throat as he stopped struggling to get up and out of the bed he was in.

"Ray," he said softly, "I'm so sorry I panicked, "I couldn't think of anything else but my childhood. I…" Egon trailed off as Ray came quickly over to his friend's side and took Egon into his arms.

"Egon," Ray said holding him tight in a hug as he heard Egon silently crying into his shoulder, "it's not your fault. I just know that Vigo did this again."

Ray held Egon until he stopped crying. Then composing himself Egon released his hold on Ray.

"Ray," the woman asked upset, "is he okay?"

Eden had been pushed out of her chair when Egon had tried to fight her and the paramedics that were there to help him. She had flashbacks of Ben coming after her again.

"Yes Eden. I think Egon's fine now. Right my friend?" Ray asked.

Egon nodded his head as Eden came over to his side and sat on the bed behind Ray, a little shaken up.

"Well Ryan let's go." said one of the two men that Egon now recognized as paramedics. "It seems that Doctor Spengler is going to be fine. Make sure that he checks in with his regular doctor before this evening Miss Parnell. Goodbye."

Eden watched as the two paramedics that had been called for her fiancé gathered up their bags and left the sleeping quarters. Eden turned her attention back to Ray and Egon who were talking. Winston had called Eden after he had put the fire out in the darkroom. Egon had a panic attack Winston had told her and could she please get to the firehouse as quickly as she could. Eden had left right then and there as she hailed a cab at Columbus Circle to take her to North Moore Street in Tribeca. When she had arrived Ray and Winston had gotten Egon into his bed in the sleeping quarters as two paramedics were checking him out. All three men smelt of smoke and ash. Egon was muttering things aloud to himself about a fire and how it wasn't his fault. It was his mother's fault as she didn't read the note. "Please father don't kill me." Egon had said.

Eden had turned to Ray for an explanation. Ray explained to Eden about how his father had gotten Egon a College Chemistry book for Christmas the month before. Egon was ten years old at the time. Egon had gone through the book and had conducted every experiment flawlessly until the end. That January afternoon Egon had tried making nitroglycerin when his parents had come home with Uncle Cyrus. It was Friday and the family had decided to all go out for some Thai food when his mother noticed that the house was cold on her way in from the garage. Calling to her son, she went to turn on the heat. The note that Egon had placed on the thermostat had fallen to the ground. His mother didn't see it as she turned on the heat. Uncle Cyrus had seen the note and picked it up off of the floor. Reading the note, Uncle Cyrus reached up to the themostat, but before he could turn the heat off Egon's experiment had overheated and exploded. Egon's father had run up the stairs at his son's screaming of his name. Uncle Cyrus was right behind him with the fire extinguisher in hand that the family kept on the wall in the kitchen. Egon's mother had gone next door to call the fire department. Uncle Cyrus had the fire out before the fire company came but Egon was paralyzed with fear. Finally Egon's father was able to pry his son away from the wall and carried him down the stairs and into the arms of a waiting fireman, who treated Egon for minor smoke inhalation.

"It was amazing that he didn't burn the whole house down." Ray told Eden.

That was when one of the paramedics had seen Egon knit his brows together. Tapping his partner on the shoulder he said, "Look Ryan. He's coming around."

Egon had scared her when he sat straight up in bed. Eden didn't know what to make of it when Egon had placed his hands on his head and laid back down again. She had only seen this sort of thing in the movies and television that she rarely watched. She didn't know if this is how a person was supposed to act after being caught in a fire. She had told Egon that he was safe and held his hand when he reached for her, calling for his mother. Eden smiled at Egon as he opened his eyes and studied her sitting next to him. There was sadness in his eyes like he couldn't quite remember what he had been doing. When he took his hand away from her, Eden felt lost. Was Egon rejecting her? Did he not want her anymore? Was he going to call off the engagement? All these things ran through her head until Egon sat up again screaming Ray's name.

Eden was knocked out of her chair, by Egon's thrashing, as the paramedics tried to keep Egon in his bed. Thinking back to her night with Ben, Eden stood stock still watching the struggling man before her.

"Keep him down Ryan."

"I'm trying, Steven. He's too strong. He's panicking again."

"I'm going to have to sedate him Miss Parnell."

Eden, recovering herself, tried to get through to Egon. "Egon it's me. Your safe, stop fighting."

Egon was pushing away the hands that were trying to help him. "I have to get Ray out!" Egon repeated over and over again. Eden looked to Ray for help as he came into the sleeping quarters, brought there by Egon's screaming.

"Egon! I'm right here."

Eden watched as the man she loved stopped fighting her and started to apologize to his friend. As Ray held Egon tight she could see that there was a bond between these two men that was stronger than anything on this earth. Watching them she saw Egon crying into Ray's shoulder. This was the second time that she had seen the emotional side of her future husband. Eden had figured this out that Monday at her apartment. As a scientist Egon didn't think he knew how to show emotions of love. But here he was doing so with Ray. Ray his friend. His best friend. His brother that he never had. Egon had almost lost him in the fire and was clinging to him with all his might, mind, and strength, until such time he would let go. Mr. Pavone was right, Egon knew that he loved her, he just had a hard time saying the word. Egon was probably mussing the whole thing over in his mind, searching for an equation that he wanted, so that he could say the word.

"Eden, I'm sorry." Egon said to her.

Eden hadn't been paying attention to him. Now caught off guard she stuttered, "Excuse me?"

"Eden," Egon tried again, "I'm sorry I knocked you out of your chair. Did I hurt you?"

"No." she replied even though she was still a little confused by what Egon was saying to her.

Ray stepped in to help when he turned around and saw the confused look upon her face.

"Eden, Egon and I were talking. I was telling him how Winston broke down the door and put the fire out. I kept calling to Egon and he kept calling me father. Then Winston 'fireman carried' Egon out of the darkroom when he collapsed. After we got Egon into his bed I sat by his side while Winston went to call you here and the paramedics. When Egon came around he panicked and pushed you out of the chair that you were sitting in. Egon's trying to apologize to you Eden."

Now Eden understood. "I accept."

"Good." Ray said as he got up from the bed, "Egon you should rest. I'm going to go take a shower. I smell like a campfire from Camp Waconda."

"When you're done Ray I'm next." Egon said, "I smell and feel like the floor of a taxi cab."

Ray laughed and left the sleeping quarters knowing that Egon was going to be fine in the hands of his love Eden.

Doctor Charlie Levine had come over to the firehouse after work that night to check on Egon. Eden had called Grace before she left the firehouse at three in the afternoon. Grace in turn had told Paul, who had called Columbia University to let Charlie know what had happened.

"My first house call." Charlie said standing in the doorway of the sleeping quarters, medical bag in hand. "And on my first instructor. Two for two."

"Nice." Egon told him, who was sitting up in bed with pen and paper, Ray by his side. "Now maybe 'Mother Ray' will let me get up and take a shower."

"Not until Doctor Levine has cleared you for shower duty." Ray said getting up from his chair by Egon's side and crossing to Charlie.

"Glad you're here." Ray said shaking his hand. "Egon gave me a pretty good scare this morning."

"Yea, panic attacks can do that." Charlie said shaking Ray's hand. "How are you doing Ray? Haven't seen you in a week. How's the leg?"

"I've been better and the legs good too." Ray said as he led Charlie over to Egon's bed. "All the blisters have broken open now but I'm afraid I'm going to have a scar there because of my stupid reaction to that slime."

"That's true." Charlie told Ray, "Second degree burns usually leave a scar. I'll take a look at it when I'm done with Egon."

"Thanks." Ray said stopping before Egon's bed, "I'll leave you two for now. Call me when your done Doctor Levine." Ray said as he walked out of the sleeping quarters to leave the two men alone.

"So." Charlie said as he sat down in the empty chair. "Panic attack?"

Egon leaned over and sat his pen and paper on the nightstand to his left.

"Yes, that's what everyone keeps telling me." he said.

"Bull!" Charlie said, setting his medical bag down on the floor beside him.

"What?" Egon asked surprised at Charlie's reaction.

"You know what Egon." Charlie said, "I've seen lots of panic attacks come through the E.R. We both know that a panic attack is a response of the sympathetic nervous system. The most common symptoms may include trembling, dyspnea, heart palpitations, chest pain, cold and hot flashes, burning sensations in the facial or neck area, sweating, nausea, dizziness, light-headedness, hyperventilation, paresthesias, sensations of choking or smothering, difficulty moving and derealization."

"But I had those Charlie." Egon pointed out.

"No," Charlie said, "not from what I heard. You had two. Light-headedness and difficulty moving. Even though a panic attack usually begins abruptly, they usually continue for a longer period of time than yours did."

"I don't understand. It was the most intensely frightening, upsetting and uncomfortable experience of my life."

"Yes Egon it was. But a panic attack is triggered by a situation from which you are not able to escape. Although you did make frantic efforts to escape, which led to violence towards Eden when the paramedics tried to stop you, it was after the fire not during it. After a panic attack, first time victims find it may take days to recover from the event. Here you are writing notes and joking with me. So, Bull!"

"So you're saying it's more on the lines of psychodynamic psychotherapy?" Egon asked seeing where Charlie was going with this.

"Are you kidding me Egon?" Charlie said, "Most psychodynamic approaches are centered around the concept that some maladaptive functioning is in play, and that this maladaption is, at least in part, unconscious. I really don't think that's what the problem is here."

"So what Charlie? Transference or Parentification?"

"In your case, no." Charlie told him, "But that is what I loved about you being my instructor. You always pushed us to learn more."

"So where do we go from here?" Egon questioned his former student.

Charlie smiled at Egon and then became serious. "I think something else is going on. Something that I don't understand because I never studied it. But something that is real and is influencing my patients."

"What?"

"Come on Doctor Spengler! Do I have to spell it out for you? Think outside of the box."

Egon narrowed his eyes at Charlie. Was he talking about 'ghosts'? That was the only subject that Charlie had not studied at Columbia that he knew of. His patients? Were they being influenced by the slime? Ray and Egon had theorized that Vigo had something to do with it all. They were planning to go into the sewer and subway systems tomorrow night to follow the slime to its source. Egon figured he knew the answer but had to ask it anyway.

"Charlie, are you talking about parapsychology?"

"Give that man a cigar!" Charlie said almost bouncing out of his seat.

Then turning serious he spoke to Egon. "Listen, Egon, I have two of my patients, Samantha and Greg in the psychiatric ward at Parkview Medical Hospital right now. They keep telling me that they hear voices in their bathtubs. I know that both of them are not schizophrenic, but Samantha's mother, Sandy, swears up and down that her daughter is. She is afraid that Samantha is going to try and take her life again."

"Greg, on the other hand, tried to commit suicide again. He told me that the 'pink water' was coming after him, telling him to go with it…" Charlie trailed off. Sighing he continued. "Egon, this is way beyond what I was taught in school. I need your help. Do you have any idea of what is going on? Can you help me?"

Egon listened to what Charlie was telling him. It was related to his and Ray's theories alright.

"Yes, Charlie. I think I know what is going on and yes I will help you."

Charlie nodded his thanks and started his exam on Egon. Egon knew that both him and Ray had better come up with something tomorrow night or it looked like Peter's guest on his show was going to be right. The end of the world was coming.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Egon sat across from Eden at the table outside by Central Park's Lake at Loeb's Boathouse where they were having lunch. They were here because of Iris.

Iris had been scared to go out with Winston by herself on Friday at noon and had asked Eden if she would come along with her. Eden, not wanting to be the 'third wheel' had agreed, but only if Egon could come too. That way it would be a 'double date' and Iris would feel safe Eden told her.

Much like Eden, Iris didn't trust men after what had happened that night in June. Iris felt that no one would love her again. She felt unloved and forgotten by every man that she would meet. As soon as she showed her face to them they would back away. Disgust could be seen in their eyes. They didn't want to get to know her. They didn't want to see beyond that horrible scar that disfigured her face.

Iris knew that she was lucky. Eden had lost her baby that night. She still had her life. Just like Iris's unit when she was in Vietnam, she had lived through it. She had made it out, but she had nightmares about her time there. Iris had found it hard to find someone who knew what she had gone through until she met Adam.

Iris had met Adam at her friend's funeral. Captain George Moody was her commander that she served under in Vietnam. Being of the same race they had both seen many disgusting things while they were there. Iris sought out therapy afterwards but Captain Moody had not, ending his life a few years ago. Iris had seen Captain Moody change. He had been depressed and had become suicidal towards the end.

While saying her personal goodbyes to her commander that day, Adam had been behind her in line. Adam had followed her and sat by her during the services. After the funeral he had approached her and introduced himself.

"Hi, my name's Adam Channing." he said offering Iris his hand.

Shaking her hand he continued, "So I see that you know Uncle Moody. He was my mom's brother. Uncle Moody was upset at me when I joined the Marines instead of the Army, but in the end he was proud of me."

"Yes," Iris told him, "he was my commander in Vietnam."

How she missed her Adam. Having gone through the same trauma as Eden, she saw her start to change. Iris sought out counseling, but Eden had not. As Eden spiraled into depression, Iris became more protective of her. She had seen these signs before in Captain Moody. Iris was not going to lose another friend.

Iris had been surprised to hear that Eden had almost ended her life. Standing there in the living room watching her and Doctor Spengler talking had been an eye opener. Iris wasn't there that week that Eden had tried to kill herself. She had gone home to visit her parents for Christmas and New Years. Iris had ended up staying at her parent's house for longer than she had anticipated. Now Iris wished that she hadn't. Eden, having no one to watch over her, had decided to throw it all away that day in January. Thank the Lord for the 'Met' calling when they did.

Iris knew that if Eden was given a chance to sing a leading role she wouldn't let anyone down. Her voice was that good. Iris knew that once people heard her they would want more. Iris had silently thanked her God that Renee Fleming had called in sick that day, saving Eden's life. In return Eden had saved another life, that of her future husband's.

Iris had found herself lost that day when Doctor Spengler had proposed to Eden in the hallway of their apartment. Doctor Spengler had physically touched her. It wasn't that he had never touched her before. They had shaken hands and hugged each other during the eleven months that Eden and him had known each other. But this was different. Doctor Spengler had touched her like Adam used to do. He had even kissed her in the same place that Adam had, before he ran out of her bedroom heading for Eden's room at the front of the apartment the night he was killed.

Iris had shut down the next day. She had cried herself to sleep that Saturday night realizing that she had forgotten all about her lover in her attempts to keep Eden safe. Iris had forgotten how Adam looked. His favorite ways that he loved her in bed. His smile. That she missed the most.

Iris closed her bedroom door on the world that Sunday. She was done. Done with life, done with trying to forget about her past, but her roommates and Doctor Spengler wouldn't let her go.

When Doctor Spengler had sat next to her bed that day stroking her hair she had been taken back to Adam. The night before he was taken from her, Adam had stroked her hair like that as she laid curled up by his side. They had talked about if they were ever to get married what month she would like it to be in. Adam knew what she had gone through. Adam had gone through the same war also. And now she had met someone else that knew how she felt.

"That's why I think that us Veterans need to stick together." Winston was saying to her. "The general public doesn't appreciate what we have done for this country. I hope someday they will."

"I agree." Iris said reaching across the table to snatch a french fry from Winston's plate.

Laughing Winston playfully shoed her hand away.

"Hey woman if you want more I'll go get some. These here belong to me." Winston said as he pretended to hover over his french fries. "Mine I say. Mine. I'm king of the french fries!" Winston cried as he raised his hands into the air.

Iris snatched another one from his plate as Winston broke out laughing.

"Okay I know when I'm beat." he said as he pushed his plate to the center of the table. "I've found your weakness Miss Iris Churchill."

Covering his mouth so that only Iris could see him speaking he whispered. "It's good to see you out of your apartment. Egon's been worried about you. Did you know that?"

Iris nodded her head as she looked to her left where Doctor Spengler and Eden had found a table. Even though they had all walked here from her apartment, Eden and Doctor Spengler had chose to sit away from her and Winston.

"He's not going to bite you Iris." Eden told her as Doctor Spengler sat down three tables away from where Winston was bringing her lunch. "Besides, Egon's here in case anything goes wrong. Enjoy yourself."

Iris was enjoying herself as Winston and her talked about family, friends, and then finally the Vietnam war.

Winston had felt as she had too, that the American public had ostracized them as baby killers, drug addicts, and losers. They viewed the Vietnam conflict as a disaster. And then there was the draft as Winston told her. A system of conscription which threatened lower class and middle class registrants alike. Some thought it was unfairly administered to blue-collar Americans and African-Americans alike too.

"No wonder soldiers resented their time of service." Iris told him. "They were forcibly deployed to fight a war that they did not feel was their war. Most just wanted to serve their time, do their best, and come home."

"True." Winston replied. "I also think that the media coverage of the war didn't help. No one wanted to be the last man to die in a war that politicians, brass, and people wanted out of."

Yes, here before her was a man that knew what she had gone through. Winston wasn't Adam, but he was here for her. He didn't care about her outward appearance, only what she felt inside.

"Good!" Winston told her taking his hand away from his face and leaning back into his chair watching Iris eat his french fries. "Besides, we have a saying in our family."

"What's that?" Iris asked him finishing his fry.

"Well, my mother always said us kids were no beauty pageant contestants. She told us it's what's inside that counts the most. I never knew what she meant until I served my tour of duty in 'nam."

Winston reached across the table and took Iris's hand as she reached for another french fry from his plate.

"Iris. Things can be replaced, faces mended, but lives…" Winston trailed off. Taking a deep breath he finished his thought. "Lives, they can't be replaced."

Iris sat there holding Winston's hand. How right he was. Personal things could be replaced. The pieces of scattered dreams could be picked up and put back together. She had seen it with Eden. Now it was her turn to pick up her broken dream.

Suddenly Iris felt very light-headed. This was her first trip outside her apartment since Sunday and she had over done it. Trying to get up Iris fell back down into her chair.

Egon and Eden had been watching the pair and when Iris's face started to turn pale Egon knew something was wrong. Before he even reached their table where she sat, Winston had gotten up and was by Iris's side before him.

"Iris what's wrong?" Winston asked supporting her with his arm around her shoulders. As Egon and Eden came up to them.

"I'm sorry Winston." Iris said as she placed her head onto her arms on the table. "I feel very light-headed all of a sudden."

Winston looked to Egon to explain.

"Winston," Egon said as he sat down in a chair that he pulled over to Iris's side. "Iris is just recovering from Sunday and it's her first time outside the apartment. She over did it. She is spent."

Winston nodded his head. "Iris I'm sorry I did this to you." he said turning back towards her.

"Winston you didn't do anything." Iris said as she reached for his hand.

Winston took her hand and rubbed her back as he looked back to Egon for help.

"I'll go call the paramedics." Eden told the group as she turned to leave.

Winston could feel Iris tense up at the mention of the paramedics. Egon had told him that Iris had gotten hurt in the past, but when Winston had inquired further Egon had told him to ask Iris when the time was right.

"Eden wait!" Winston called to her retreating back.

Winston slid Iris's chair away from the table. Carefully he placed one hand under her legs and the other hand around her back and lifted Iris out of the chair.

Eden stopped and turned around. As she saw what Winston was doing she went to cry out but Egon beat her to it.

"Winston! What are you doing? It's half a mile from here to Central Park West."

"I know." Winston replied walking away from them carrying Iris. "I've carried heavier men, in full combat gear, in harsher weather than this. And over longer distances by the way too. This is a piece of cake."

Egon could only follow Winston, with Eden by his side, as Winston carried Iris west to Bow Bridge. Crossing the cast iron bridge that spanned 60 feet across the water in Central Park's Lake Egon could see that Winston's pace was slowing down. Egon left Eden and ran ahead to Cherry Hill where he hailed a horse and carriage at the Cherry Hill Fountain. As Egon waited for Winston, Iris, and Eden to catch up he admired the old watering trough with its decorative glass lamps and globes from 1860.

Winston placed Iris into the carriage and climbed in to sit beside her. Eden and Egon following behind.

The carriage took the four of them west on 72nd Transverse Road to Central Park West. On the ride over Iris had fallen asleep on Winston's shoulder. Eden elbowed Egon and nodded her head smiling at the pair.

Egon looked at Winston who had his arm wrapped around Iris's shoulder with her head falling onto his left shoulder. Winston had his eyes closed, along with Iris, and his chin rested on the top of Iris's head.

Smiling Egon pulled Eden to his right side as she snuggled up into his shoulder much like Iris was doing with Winston.

"So," Egon spoke softly to Eden so that the pair wouldn't disturb Winston and Iris. "How's Saturday afternoon for you? Do you have a matinee?"

Eden knew what Egon was talking about. Before Iris had almost fainted on them her and Egon were discussing wedding plans.

"Yes, Egon." she replied. "I have a matinee on Saturday but at night I'm free."

"What time do you want to meet?"

"Is six good for you? I can do earlier if you don't mind waiting for me at the 'Met'."

"Six is fine." Egon said kissing the top of her head.

The carriage stopped on West 72nd Street. Egon helped Winston out with Iris as Eden paid the driver. Winston carried Iris across the street and into her apartment building. He insisted on placing Iris into her bed before he left.

"Iris. I'm so sorry." he told her sleeping form before pulling the covers up over her body.

Egon watched this display between the two leaning against the right hand side of the doorframe. Something was familiar about it. Then it hit him. Egon had seen his father do this with his mother one day. He was six an a half at the time if memory served him well. His mother liked to garden. They were outside pulling weeds when his mother had said she didn't feel well.

The next thing that he knew was his mother was lying on the ground unresponsive to his calls with blood on her legs. Egon did the only thing he knew how to do. He ran into the house and called his father's work. Uncle Cyrus brought his father home to him as he sat by his mother's side.

When Edison saw his wife on the ground outside he had picked her up, much like Winston had done with Iris, and brought her into the house.

Uncle Cyrus had placed his arm around Egon's shoulder and walked with him inside as they followed his father. Standing in the hallway outside of his parents bedroom, Egon watched his father place his mother into their bed and pull a sheet over her.

"Edison. Did she loose it?" Uncle Cyrus asked.

"Yes." was his father's reply as Egon thought he saw him wipe away a tear.

Uncle Cyrus left Egon in the hallway as he went to Edison's side and gave him a hug. "I'm so sorry brother." he told him.

Wait! Egon's mind said. No? Yes! That had to be what happened that day. Egon had never questioned his father about his mother. Uncle Cyrus had told him that she was sick but would get better soon. His uncle had been right. Within the week his mother was back to normal but with a faraway look in her eyes. She had also held Egon tighter than normal whenever she hugged him and he remembered that she wouldn't let him out of her sight for a good three months.

Now Egon was sure beyond the shadow of a doubt that his mother had a miscarriage that spring. Eden's miscarriage fresh in his mind had brought the memory back to him when he saw Winston with Iris. Why had his father never told him? Didn't he deserve to know that he had a brother or sister that hadn't lived?

Winston placing his hand onto Egon's left shoulder brought him back.

"Egon when we get done playing sewer rats with Ray I'd like to come back."

Egon nodded his head as Winston walked past him. Now Egon knew why his mother's advice to him that day was spot on. She had lived through Eden's and Iris's pain because she had lost someone she loved. She knew exactly how they felt.

Egon bid Eden farewell as he walked to the front door where Winston was waiting for him. When he was done tonight with Ray he was going to have to call his mother. She needed to know that she was loved by him even though he hardly said the words. His father never said them except for that one day as he watched outside in the hallway.

After releasing Uncle Cyrus, Edison sat on the edge of the bed stroking his wife's hair.

"I love you Katherine. We'll try again." Edison told her, but in his heart he knew that was a lie.

Katherine had waited to have children. Now as she was pushing forty years of age her childbearing years were done. Turning his face to the open door he saw Egon standing there. His curly hair needed to be cut he noticed as Egon looked very much like his middle names character Albert Einstein, if Albert Einstein wore glasses at six and didn't sport a mustache.

Here is where the future of the Spengler name lied. Egon would grow up and make him proud one day by taking over "Spengler Laboratories."

Oh how wrong he was back then.

Edison watched his son Egon walk out of Eden's apartment building and down the steps to the subway station with Winston by his side.

"Tonight he will be with us." an elderly gentleman told Edison.

Edison turned his attention away from the scene that he was watching sitting on the white brick wall. The open space in the abyss below him changed to a picture of a green-blue world of planet earth.

"Eli," Edison said to his 3rd great-grandfather sitting next to him on the white brick wall, "it's not his time. She still needs to go down." Edison said as he pointed to a young girl playing ball with the other children, her long medium brown hair and light green eyes sparkling.

"She will have to wait." Eli replied. "We need to get ready for your son."

Edison knew that Eli was right. Time was different here. Many hours on earth was a mere second where he was. Edison had a thought. He had seen this once before.

"Can Egon be saved?" he asked Eli.

Eli closed his eyes and tilted his head. He had been in this place longer and knew what to do. Nodding his head he opened his eyes.

"Yes, come quickly though. We must hurry." Eli said standing up and taking his grandson's arm, pulled him to his feet. They had to hurry if they were to save Egon's life. They needed to put things into place and had very little time to do so. If they were unsuccessful, the girl that they had been placed in charge of would miss her time on earth.


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: Ghostbusters II is owned by Columbia Pictures an written by Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd. I am only borrowing the parts that I need for my story.

Chapter 16

Ray was driving Ecto-1A to Peter's apartment. Winston and Egon were worried about him but Ray said he was fine. On Thursday after the tow truck had dropped Ecto-1A off, Winston had gone to work on the old girl. The front bumper was bent from where the car had hit the tree in Dewitt Clinton Park. Winston removed it and between him and Ray they were able to find a new one. Well not really a new one as the car was built in 1959.

The Cadillac Miller-Meteor Futura Duplex was an old hearse that Ray had bought back in 1984 for the relatively high price of four thousand eight hundred dollars. It was in a poor state of repair when Ray had gotten the car.

"Don't worry I found the car." Ray had told Peter that day.

As Ray stood there and started naming off the things that were wrong with it Peter was shocked.

"It needs some suspension work and shocks, brakes, brake pads, linings, steering box…"

Ray rambled on down the list telling Peter what the car needed.

Peter looked to his right as he stood outside his apartment trying to hail a cab. Ecto-1A pulled up to him as Peter was reminded of that day when Ray had brought the car home to show him. Peter could hear Ray's continually ranting in his head.

"…transmission, read-end, new rings…"

"Yea, Ray," Peter said as Ray parked the car in front of his apartment building and got out, "and a partridge in a pear tree too."

"Pete it's great that you're here!" Ray said standing before him with a yellow fireman's slicker and waders on. "You should really answer your phone."

"I've been busy." Peter replied as Winston and then Egon came out of the car to stand by Ray.

They were all dressed the same way and looked to Peter like they could be out for a major spelunking expedition.

"We've got incredible news!" Ray continued.

Peter held up his hands to stop Ray. "Wait." he said, "Can I have one try? All-you-can-eat barbecue rib night at the Sizzler?"

"No!" Egon told Peter shaking his head.

Peter couldn't be serious if his life depended upon it.

"We analyzed the photos you took of Vigo." Egon continued, "The spectrogram shows a river of slime flowing behind it."

"Yea," Ray said interrupting Egon, concern in his voice, "just like the one I saw underground at Van Horne Station. Now we're going into the subway and sewer systems to see if we can trace the source of the psychoreactive slime flow. We want you to come along."

"Yeah." Egon said pointing at Peter in his suit with a smile upon his face. "Come on change your clothes so you look normal. We'll wait for you." Egon teased Peter thinking back to the night they dug a hole in 1st Avenue.

"Yeah, Egon thinks there might even be a tremendous breeding surge in the cockroach population." Winston said to Peter.

"You know, Peter," Egon said, "animals and lower life forms often anticipate major disasters."

Just then the door to Peter's apartment building opened up to reveal Dana Barrett walking towards them.

"Wow!" was all Ray could say.

Normally only in jeans and a top, the "Ghostbusters" had never seen Dana dressed up. She was looking rather lovely in a green off the shoulder dress that fell to her knees. Dana looked curiously at their outfits.

"Evening boys." she said walking over to Peter.

"Dana." Peter said turning around to look her in the face. "The boys are going down under the street tonight to look for slime. Egon thinks there might even be some kind of big roach-breeding surge. Should we forget about dinner and go with them instead?"

Peter smiled and winked his eye at Dana. Dana smiled back.

"Taxi!" she called as she walked away from the men and up Bleecher Street.

"Women." Peter told the others as he turned and followed after Dana.

Calling back over his shoulder he said, "Let me know what you find out. We'll be at the Armand Restaurant boys."

"Okay," Ray called after them, "but you're missing all the fun."

Peter just waved back at Ray as Dana had hailed a cab and was getting inside.

"Okay boys, let's roll." Ray told the group as he and the others got back into Ecto-1A and pulled away.

As Ray turned onto 1st Avenue off of East 14th Street he was listening to Egon explain the equipment that they had brought with them to Winston.

"Okay we have a plumb bob here attached to a graduated cord that will measure our depth of the slime. This is the Lifegard II PASS Alarm." Egon said holding up a yellow box to show Winston.

"PASS?" Winston asked.

"PASS. Stands for Personal Alert Safety System, Winston." Ray said over the backseat to where Winston sat in the jumper seat with Egon facing forward.

"Yes." Egon continued, "It emits a high-pitched alert of 95 decibels when its wearer lies motionless for over 30 seconds. It's primarily used by firefighters."

"Worried Egon?" Winston raised an eyebrow his way.

"I'm always worried." Egon replied.

"We're here boys." Ray said as he parked Ecto-1A along the right hand side of 1st Avenue by 76th Street.

Climbing out of the car the men suited up with miner's helmets with lights, sensing devices, meters, flash lights, photographic equipment, a shovel, and a pick ax. Ray carefully unfolded an old map of the city onto the hood of the car.

"That's where we need to go." Ray said as he pointed a finger at the map.

Egon looked closer at the map to see 1st Avenue and 76th Street clearly marked as an entrance to an old subway station. Looking back up and around the area Egon saw an old building across the street in front of him.

"Ray." Egon said nudging him with his right elbow and pointing with his left hand to the building, "What do you make of that?"

Ray looked up from the map and regarded the building.

"Good a place as any to start." he said folding the map back up and placing it in a pocket in his slicker.

Ray was now walking next to Egon and Winston, carrying a pick ax over his left shoulder, down the center of an old subway railroad track. It wasn't easy walking three abreast and every now and then either Ray or Winston, who were walking on the outsides, would be pushed off the tracks. This time it was Winston's turn as Egon accidentally bumped into him.

"Will you watch your step? I hate this!" Winston told Egon swinging the flashlight he was carrying in his right hand towards Egon, a shovel in his left.

"Sorry Winston." Egon replied.

"According to this old transit map there should be an entrance anywhere along here…" Ray said consulting the map he carried with his flashlight and then shining it ahead into the tunnel, "…somewhere."

Egon held the Giga Meter in his hand.

"I'm not getting anything yet." he told Ray sweeping the meter side to side as he walked.

"Well at least it's too dark to see the cockroaches." Winston commented shining his light onto the walls of the tunnel.

He didn't like dark places all that much. They reminded him too much of nights over in Vietnam right before they got hit with mortars.

Unbeknownst to the men traveling down the tunnel, the slime that they were looking for was just ahead of them.

"That one." the slime said, "He's new. Yes, we can use him."

Ray looked Winston's way as he saw his face. Smiling he nudged Egon with his right elbow as he spoke to Winston.

"Forget about the cockroaches. It's the subway rats you gotta worry about. Big as beavers."

Egon had felt Ray nudge him. Smiling he picked up the tall tail when Ray stopped talking.

"Yeah, Winston," Egon said, "some of them can go four to five kilo's"

Winston didn't know how much a kilo was but he was getting scared now.

"Good!" the slime said.

"Hey, Hey enough all right?" Winston told Egon.

"Listen to them." Ray said to Winston trying to frighten him more. "You can hear them behind the walls, scratching. There must be thousands of them!"

"Ray!" Winston sternly told him, "Just shut up about the rats!"

This reminded Winston of that mission in Vietnam that didn't fair so well for the men that he had dropped off behind enemy line.

"That's what we need." the slime said.

"Okay, Okay." Ray said stopping in his tracks.

Ray could hear his voice echoing down the tunnel.

"Hello!" Ray hollered down the tunnel as his voice echoed back to him.

Egon was next. "Hey!" echoed back to Egon's ears.

Winston smiled, maybe he could get through this after all.

"Hello!" he hollered down the old subway tunnel waiting for the word to echo back to him.

A deep eerie rumble, "WINSTON!" came back to the three men instead.

"Okay," Winston said turning around and heading back the way he had come, "I'm outta here!"

Before he even took a step the slime brought back Winston's nightmare.

_Winston was flying a group of six elite secret Army Special Forces men known as 'Rangers' behind enemy lines along with four Montagnard tribesmen. The Montagnards were the hill people of Vietnam recruited by the 'Rangers'. They hated the Vietnamese and thought it was marvelous that they got paid to kill them._

_Winston flew his UH-1D helicopter also know as a Huey above the tree tops. He knew that the 'Rangers' were scheduled to spend a week on the ground scouting intelligence for their side._

_The men were sterilized, meaning that they carried no dog tags, no labels on their clothing, nothing to indicate that they were U.S. soldiers because of the five to ten thousand dollar price tag on their heads._

_Winston watched as the team leader double checked his gear. He saw that the man was carrying a car-15 (a collapsible stock version of a M-16 rifle), a .357 magnum Smith & Wesson pistol, a little M-79, a 40-millimeter grenade launcher, a bandolier of high explosives and phosphorous grenades, some C-4 explosives, smoke grenades, a knife, water, and food._

_The 'Rangers' had to take everything they needed with them as Winston couldn't go back for them in between. Each man carried around 135 pounds of gear._

_Flying over the mountain terrain of Northern Laos, Winston looked for a landing spot. Setting his Huey down Winston watched the group move quickly out of the area and into the underbrush. Winston lifted his helicopter up and flew back to base camp._

_As the days past, Winston wondered about the 'Rangers' he had dropped off. He knew that if any member of the team got shot that the group would carry them out. They didn't leave anyone behind. And then there were the Montagnards who were Buddhist. They had to have a body or their souls would wander the earth aimlessly._

_Soon Winston's commander told him it was time to extract the 'Rangers'._

_As Winston flew his Huey back to where he had left the 'Rangers' he had a couple of ladders flapping loose out of the helicopter. The men on the ground would use them, as he hovered above them, to climb aboard. As Winston followed the gray smoke from a grenade to the 'Rangers' he came upon a clearing. In the clearing were ten stakes pounded into the ground. On each stake was a human head. Winston recognized them immediacy as the men from the 'Rangers' and Montagnards he had dropped off earlier that week. They had all been killed! Their heads staked out as a display and warning for him._

"Winston!" a voice said to him as a pair of hands held him down. "They are gone. Come on stop fighting me!"

Winston opened his eyes to see Egon kneeling down by his side on the tracks.

"They're gone." he whispered sadly.

"Yes, they're gone." Egon replied helping Winston to his feet.

Egon had seen the severed heads along with Ray, but Winston had overreacted to them. Winston had started screaming at the top of his lungs and fought off any help Ray or Egon tried to give him. After Winston collapsed onto the ground with Egon trying to hold his thrashing arms so he wouldn't hurt himself Egon looked to Ray.

"Not my past." Ray told Egon.

"Not mine either." Egon said, turning his attention back to Winston.

"Must be his." Ray said pointing to Winston, "But from where?"

Egon said one word. "Vietnam."

Ray nodded his head. He knew that Winston had been a helicopter pilot in Vietnam before he had come to work for them back in 1984. Picking up Winston's yellow miner's helmet he handed it back to him. Neither man was going to ask Winston what had happened in his past. The severed human heads were proof enough that Winston was packing around his own 'ghost stories' too dark and evil to tell. It was really amazing that more Vietnam Veterans weren't trying to commit suicide from what they had experienced.

Egon broke the silence.

"Something's trying to stop us. We must be close. Before we go any further I think we should get our proton packs."

"Good idea." Winston said placing his helmet back on his head. "What's that?"

Winston walked a couple of steps down the tunnel. Yes, there it was again, a light coming from the side of the tunnel to his right.

"Hey Ray!" Winston called, "Take a look at this."

Ray came over to Winston's side as he squatted down before a pile of rubble that looked like it was blocking the entrance to something. Ray and Winston started to clear away the rubble with their pick ax and shovel as Egon came up behind them. Ray put his shoulder to the pile and pushed. It fell away to reveal a flight of steps that led down into a station.

Ray leaned his pick ax against the wall while Winston placed his shovel there also. Walking down the dusty, cobwebbed stairs Egon, Ray, and Winston came to the edge of a platform.

"This is it. Van Horne Station." Ray told the men he was with.

Ray wasn't too happy about the slime flow down the old tunnel that he was seeing again.

"Unbelievable!" Winston said staring at the slime.

"What did I tell you." Ray said moving away from the edge of the platform and hugging the wall. "I wasn't lying was I."

Ray could now hear the slime's eerie symphony once again. Didn't the others hear it too?

"Do you realize how much negative energy it must have taken to generate a flow this size?" Egon told Winston.

Where was Ray? He had seen him back away from the edge of the platform. Egon raised his eyes to see that Ray was against the wall.

"Hey," Winston said to Egon, "New York. What a town!"

Egon just shook his head at Winston. He needed his help as it looked like Ray wasn't going to be able to help him out.

"Okay Winston," Egon said looking away from Ray, "let's get a sounding on the depth of that flow."

Winston pulled the plumb bob from his utility belt. Pulling out a couple feet of graduated cord he told Egon to stand back. Taking the cord in his hand Winston swung the plumb bob over his head and cast it out into the middle of the slime flow. As the plumb bob started to sink Egon read the depth.

"Six feet…Seven…Eight…"

"That's it man." Winston told him as the line stopped moving through his hands. "It's on the bottom."

Egon continued reading. "Nine feet…Twelve…"

"Twelve?" Winston questioned Egon.

Ray stood hugging the wall, his eyes closed, hands against his ears.

"Join Us! Join Us! Join Us!" the slime sang to him.

The unmistakable sounds of human conflict and pain were back.

He could hear his sister's voice. "Raymond Francis Stantz! What have you done? Raymond don't die, I need you. Why did you have to take all those pills?"

Egon's voice was next. "Father! Help me! Father where are you?"

Even Winston's screams of terror. "The bloody 'Charlie's' killed them all! Staked their heads out for all to see!"

"Twelve?" someone said outside the voices in his head.

"Is the line sinking?" the voice said again.

Ray opened his eyes to see Egon and Winston struggling to pull the cord out of the slime flow.

"No!" Ray shouted at them. "The lines not sinking the slime is rising. Look!"

Ray took his hands from his ears and pointed at the platform. The slime was slowly rising over the edge and crawling towards Winston's boots.

"Let's get out of here, boys." Ray told them turning back to the entrance that they had come in from.

"Hold on Winston!" Egon told him totally ignoring Ray.

Egon desperately tried to unhook the cord from Winston's belt as the unseen adversary in the slime flow kept pulling them closer and closer to the edge.

"Hold on to it!" Egon cried and looked up for help. Spotting Ray he yelled at him. "HELP ME!"

That was all that Ray needed as he jumped in to help his friends. As Egon grabbed the cord and helped Winston pull back, Ray fumbled for the cord to unhook it from Winston's belt. Giving up, Ray finally got a hold of Winston's belt and unhooked the whole thing.

"Okay I got it boys. Let go!" Ray said as he pulled the belt away from Winston's waist and tossed it to the slime flow.

Egon let go in time but Winston did not. Winston was jerked off his feet and into the slime flow. Egon and Ray watched in horror while Winston tried to keep his head above the slime as he went screaming down the tunnel and then made a sharp left hand turn to disappear from view.

"He can't swim!" Ray said, his voice shaking as he pointed down the tunnel.

"I know." Egon calmly replied.

"I don't want to go in there!" Ray said pointing at the slime flow.

"I know." Egon calmly said again.

Gulping Ray grabbed Egon's hand and held it tight as he summoned his courage and jumped into the slime flow with Egon.

Within seconds they were being pulled down the tunnel and away from each other. Ray moved ahead of Egon as Egon tried to remain calm.

Egon needed to think of positive things or the slime will have won. He had heard the eerie sounds of human suffering on the platform and he had tuned them out. Ray had not. He would not be able to help his friends if he joined with the slime's evil intent.

Egon thought back to his childhood. The happy times he spent with his father and mother on Lake Erie. Playing in the water, canoeing, snorkeling, and building sand castles. He smiled as he remembered his mother and him running away from the incoming waves and then trying to sneak back to the water before turning and running away again.

Egon thought of Uncle Cyrus and his kids. He remembered how they would all chase fireflies in Uncle Cyrus's backyard while their parents grilled chicken, hamburgers, and hot dogs waiting for it to get dark. When it was finally dark the two families would go down to watch the fireworks at the local high school.

Egon's back hit something hard and he winched.

"Yes," the slime said in his head, "get upset."

Egon ignored it as he felt around the gooey pink ooze trying to find what he had hit, still thinking positive thoughts. Eden's face when she smiled, her laugh, her slender beautiful back.

There, his hand found a ledge. Grabbing at it he pulled himself up and out of the slime flow. Through slime covered glasses Egon could see that they were at the end of the tunnel. Looking to his left he saw a rusty iron ladder that reached upward.

Winston's screams made Egon look forward into the slime flow again. Winston was making a circle in the slime and coming towards him from his left. Just like a normal whirlpool the slime was following The Coriolis Force, Egon noticed as he reached out to Winston.

The Coriolis Force was a direct result of the earth's rotation and pulled objects (tornadoes, hurricanes, and whirlpools) to the right in the Northern hemisphere and to the left in the Southern hemisphere.

Egon grabbed a hold of Winston as he moved by and was able to stop him. Egon hauled Winston's body up and out of the slime flow.

"Where's Ray? I'm going to kill him!" Winston spat at Egon.

Egon pointed to the iron ladder. "He's up there Winston." Egon told him.

Winston had only one thing on his mind as he climbed the ladder, and that was to kill.

Egon watched Winston go. He knew that they were going to have to get out of their clothes but he still needed to find Ray first. At least Winston was going in the direction that he wanted him to go and that was anywhere away from the slime.

Egon looked away from Winston and back towards the slime. There was Ray coming towards him now face down in the slime!

"No!" Egon screamed.

"Yes," the slime said, "He's dead and it's your fault! Join him!"

"Egon!" Ray called.

Egon looked again. The slime had tried to make Egon see something that wasn't there. Ray wasn't face down, he was treading water instead. "Well really treading slime." Egon told himself as he reached for Ray's outstretched arm.

Grabbing his friend Egon pulled him up and out of the slime flow and directed him towards the iron ladder.

"Is this where Winston went?" Ray shouted at Egon.

"Yes, Ray."

"Good," Ray said climbing the ladder, "because when I find him he's dead meat!"

Egon let Ray go as he turned to the slime and said. "I'm not going to talk to you for at least a week. You're not good for me."

Reaching the top of the ladder Egon could see that a manhole had been removed, probably by Winston, so that he could crawl out and onto the streets of New York. Slime was dripping from his slicker, waders, boots, and down his face. Egon heard above him that Ray and Winston were yelling at each other.

"Nice going Ray! What were you trying to do, drown me? You know I can't swim!"

"Look, Winston, it wasn't my fault that you were too stupid to let go of that line!"

"You better watch your mouth, man, or I'll come and punch your lights out."

"Oh, yeah Winston? Just go ahead and try it."

"So your looking for a fight? Well you just got one! Come on, Ray! Try me, sucker!"

Egon pulled his body out of the hole and stiffly stood up. His back was really hurting him now from where he had hit that edge. He needed to get back to Ecto-1A where he had left his muscle relaxing pills.

Looking up to find Ray and Winston so that they could start their walk back to the car, he saw that the two men were punching and kicking each other now.

"Why were they fighting?" Egon wondered as he looked at his slime covered hands. "The toast!"

"Strip!" Egon forcefully told Ray and Winston stepping forward to pull the two apart.

Grabbing his own slicker and pulling it off he threw it back into the manhole as he shouted to his friends.

"STRIP! Right now! Get out of your clothes!"

Ray and Winston stopped fighting and stared at Egon bewildered. Suddenly realizing what was happening to him Ray started to do the same thing. Stripping out of his slicker and waders and throwing them into the open manhole he felt better.

"What are we doing Ray?" Winston asked confused as he tossed his waders back to the slime below. "I was ready to kill you."

"Don't you see?" Ray told Winston standing in the street wearing only his long gray underwear. "It's the slime. That stuff is like pure, concentrated evil."

Egon looked around him holding his glasses in his right hand. That sign. What did it say? Egon squinted his eyes. Yes! His theory was correct! The sign read The Metropolitan Museum of Art, where the painting of Vigo was being restored.

"Ray." Egon said pointing his left hand towards the museum. "It's all flowing right to this spot."

Winston, Ray and Egon all stared at the museum as reality sank in.

"We've got trouble." Winston said.

"Yea." Ray said turning away from the museum, the others following.

"Speaking of trouble, let's go tell Peter." he said heading back to Ecto-1A.


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: Ghostbusters II is owned by Columbia Pictures an written by Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd. I am only borrowing the parts that I need for my story.

Chapter 17

Winston opened the door to the Armand Restaurant where they hoped Peter and Dana were having dinner. Holding the door open, Winston let Ray and Egon go inside first.

Winston thought that he heard the slime at Van Horne Station talking to him, but he was not one hundred percent sure. He was still reliving his time in Vietnam when he got pulled into the slime flow and had thought it was a continuation of his mind playing tricks on him. From his work, five years ago, with the men who were in front of him Winston had seen many 'odd' things and had come to believe them. He knew that if anyone could save the city of New York from paranormal activity it would be Ray and Egon.

"Did he say this place?" Winston asked Egon.

The maitre d' looked up in surprise as he saw three men wearing only long underwear enter the restaurant. They were also covered in some kind of pink gel.

"Peter did say Armand didn't he?" Egon asked Ray.

"Yes, he said Armand." Ray told the other two men.

"Excuse me gentlemen." the maitre d' said as he tried to get their attention.

"It's okay," Egon said, "we are just looking for a friend."

All three men walked right past the maitre d' and turned the corner into the dinning area.

"Hey you can't go in there!" the maitre d' cried as he followed them.

"That's all right." Ray told him. "I see him. Hey Peter!"

Peter looked up at the sound of his name. Ray, Egon, and Winston were coming towards him wearing only long underwear and rain boots. "Just great!" Peter thought to himself. "It looks like they were not informed about the dress code here."

All three men had traces of pink slime on them. The whole group was causing a scene as Ray called to Peter from across the room.

"You should've been there Peter! Absolutely incredible!"

The group of 'underdressed' men approached his table as the maitre d' screamed at them to leave. Winston pulled out a chair and sat down into it as Egon and Ray did the same. All of them were talking excitedly to him and Dana. Ray held up a finger to the maitre d' and told the man to wait just a minute. The maitre d' stormed away as Peter looked with alarm at his friends sitting before him.

"Boys!" Peter said, he could see the other patrons watching the scene. "You're scaring the straights okay. Is there any way we can do this tomorrow?"

"No! No!" Egon said to Peter getting more excited. "This won't wait until tomorrow. It's hot and it's ready to pop!"

Peter looked to Dana. She clearly did not understand what was going on any more than he did.

"It's all over the city, Pete!" Ray continued, "Well, under it actually."

"Rivers of the stuff!" Winston told Peter as he spread his hands open wide on the table in front of him.

"Yea and it's all flowing straight for the museum!" Egon finished.

"Yes, the museum!" Ray said gesturing excitedly as a big glob of slime flied from his right arm across the room and landed on a well-dressed young woman.

Surprised she stood up in horror at the stuff sliding off of her expensive sea foam colored suit.

"What got all over me. What is this stuff?" she commented to her date as she reached for a napkin to try and wipe the slime away. As she turned to her date for help Ray called out to her.

"Sorry."

Dana heard one word that scared her.

"You mean 'MY' museum?" she questioned Egon pointing to herself.

Now Peter understood what the trio of men sitting before him were talking about. They were talking about Vigo and the connection he had to the slime that they had discovered all over the city.

"Look Dana." Peter said taking her hand. "I was going to tell you after dessert. You can't go back to work there. Come Monday you need to find a new job."

"Egon what is going on?" Dana questioned him again as she heard the maitre d' shouting at the front of the restaurant.

Looking up Dana could see the maitre d' hurrying towards her table with two police officers right behind him.

Pointing at Ray, Egon, and Winston the maitre d' shouted, "Arrest these men!"

One of the two police officers recognized the men at the table.

"Hey! It's the "Ghostbusters". You're out of uniform, gentleman." he said.

Ray looked down at his clothes, suddenly realizing how ridiculous they all must look.

"Uh, well," he fumbled, "we had a little accident, but forget that. I'm glad you're here because we have to see the mayor!"

"Look, Doctor Stantz," the police officer told him stopping behind him, "why don't you and your friends just go home and get a good nights sleep. Then you can give the mayor a call in the morning. Come on." the police officer said as he tried to take Ray by his arm to help him up.

Ray pulled his arm away from the police officer and shouted at him instead. "We're not going home! I told you we have to see the mayor NOW!"

Seeing his friend upset, Peter got up from his chair and crossed to Ray while the police officer continued to talk to him.

"Look," the police officer said pointing his finger at Ray, "I'm warning you. You can come along peaceably or…" he trailed off as Peter grabbed his arm.

"Hey, don't be an idiot." Peter told him. "This is serious."

"Look, pal." the police officer said to Peter getting angry. "Keep this up and you're going with them."

"Oh, yeah?" Peter retorted.

"Yeah, let's go!" the police officer said taking Peter's arm off of him and placing it behind Peter's back in an arm lock.

"You're all under arrest gentlemen." the police officer said walking Peter towards the exit.

The police officer's partner forcibly removed Ray from his seat, while Egon and Winston followed. All three men were trying to talk to the police officers at the same time, causing a bigger commotion on their way out of the restaurant.

Being led away from the table Peter called to Dana. "Finish your dessert, it's already paid for and call our lawyer Louis Tully."

As the police officer started to lead Peter out of the restaurant, Peter thought about what he had just said to Dana about Louis. He really didn't want a repeat performance from their first time in court that Monday many weeks ago.

"Dana!" he called from the front of the restaurant. "On second thought, forget about calling Louis. We'll take our chances with the public defender!"

Dana sat there shocked as Peter and the "Ghostbusters" were led away from her. Museum? Her museum, they had said. The slime in her tub, her boss acting weird, that painting of Vigo that crept her out, and Oscar's wild buggy ride. Dana put two and two together as she finally realized what the boys had been talking to Peter about. The slime was part of something to do with her work.

Dana quickly got up from the table and hurried out of the restaurant. She had to get back to her baby. Oscar wasn't safe.

Outside of the Armand Restaurant, Ray and Peter were being led over to two waiting police cruisers while Egon and Winston followed.

"Look, we're not drunk and we're not crazy. This is a matter of vital importance!" Egon said to the police officer who was leading Ray towards his vehicle.

"Look, Doctor Spengler. I'm not interested right now. You guys shouldn't have come into the Armand dressed the way you are." the police officer said pointing at Egon before he reached to open the back door to his vehicle to place Ray inside.

"What are you doing?!" Ray shouted trying to get away. "We need to see the mayor right now! This whole city is going to turn into Vigo's personal playground and we need to stop him!"

The police officer ignored Ray as he tried once again to put Ray into the backseat of the cruiser.

"We're telling you the truth." Egon said placing a hand on the police officer's arm. "I can just see the mayor asking you why you didn't let him know about this sooner."

The police officer stopped trying to get Ray into his vehicle and thought about Egon's statement. He wasn't going to be the one who was going to be held accountable if something did happen. He had been there five years ago when these men had told the mayor a very different story. He had seen a hundred foot tall Mr. Stay Puff Marshmallow man come alive and walk down Central Park West. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes he never would have believed the two men before him now. Nodding his head he knew he would give them the benefit of the doubt.

"Okay, Doctor Stantz, you want to see the mayor you got it. Get in. I'll go tell the others what is happening."

The police officer released his hold on Ray and walked away to his partner who was having the same problem of getting Peter into the cruiser that he just had.

"Well Egon," Ray said rubbing his sore arm. "I hope we can convince the mayor now."

"As long as we explain it like last time I don't see a problem." Egon said rubbing his sore back.

"Back hurting again?" Ray asked as he slid further into the cruiser to allow Egon room.

"Yes." Egon replied getting into the vehicle beside Ray. "I was doing so well too."

Ray remembered seeing Egon take two muscle relaxing pills when they had gotten back to Ecto-1A. It seemed that this time they were not helping his friend as Egon tried to cram his six feet three inch frame into the cruiser's cramped back seat.

"Sorry." Ray said.

"Ray it's not your fault about the car." Egon said to him trying to get comfortable. "They made the police cruisers this way for a reason, it's so…"

Ray interrupted him, "No, that's not what I'm talking about. I am sorry about acting the way I did with the slime earlier."

Egon turned his head towards Ray as the police officer came back and closed Egon's door and then got into the front driver's seat.

Ray watched as the police officer put the car into gear and pulled away from the Armand. Sighing he continued.

"Egon, when I first encountered the slime all I could hear was evil. How is it that you stayed so calm and knew what to do?"

"Ray, I heard the human suffering sounds also but I chose a different way of thinking about it. Remember the mice and rats? When we placed some slime onto the male rats and then turned two of them loose together all they did was fight to the death. That got me thinking that the slime had something to do with it. It had to be telling them what to do. Once you give in to that and start fighting the slime has won. I needed to remain calm like in our psychic experiments with our minds that we were doing with the slime. When we thought about happy thoughts the slime stayed positive. That way I was the one in control."

"Knowing this I thought about my childhood with my parents on Lake Erie. My time I spent with my Uncle Cyrus and his kids. And last, when I thought that the slime was going to take over me, I thought of my time with Eden. Anything happy and lovely."

"Ray, you know that we are going to have to face Vigo soon and you are going to have to face your fears. You have to come up with some positive thoughts."

"I know Egon." Ray said to him as he watched outside the window as the police cruiser turned east onto 89th Street.

"How did your fear of your father's dying words to you stay out of your head?" Ray asked.

"They didn't." Egon pointed out. "They were the first thing that the slime brought up. But I took the figure of my father and place him into a different situation like on the shore of Lake Erie."

"So what you are saying Egon is that I have to turn my attempted suicide to my advantage. I have to change the pain and suffering in my life to thoughts of happiness. But how? How can I find any positive thoughts in my life during that time of suffering? When I was going through it I found that some days it just took everything I had to stay focused. Suicide is not a happy place. I can't come up with anything positive about that."

"Yes, Ray, suicide is not a happy place but you can do it." Egon said, "For example when you hear someone screaming in pain, whether it be your own voice or someone else's, place that voice with your sister. Remember back to when she gave birth to her baby girl and you were there. Draw from that. The cry could be from your sister and the pain she had to go through to get that baby niece of yours into this world or the cry could be from your niece herself. Her laughter at your jokes, crying in surprise when you were playing games, anything along those lines, and hold it close to you. Don't let it go."

"I'll try Egon." Ray said as the cruiser entered Carl Schurz Park on East End Avenue and the East River of upper Manhattan.

Soon Egon and Ray could see the outlines of Gracie Mansion in the distance, the current residence of the mayor of New York City.

Gracie mansion was built in 1799 by Archibald Gracie as a country home overlooking a bend in the East River. The house was then sold to Joseph Foulke in 1823 and the city of New York acquired the estate in 1896. After decades of use as a concession stand and restrooms for Carl Schurz Park, the Parks Commissioner convinced City Authorities to designate the house as the official residence for the mayor in 1942 with Fiorello H. LaGuardia as it's first resident.

Egon stifled a laugh.

"What's so funny?" Ray asked him.

"Well," Egon said, "I was just thinking that if we can't convince the mayor maybe Fiorello LaGuardia could. He did use to live here you know."

"Yes, I know." Ray said.

Ray thought about Egon's statement. Stranger things had happened. LaGuardia became the mayor of New York City in January of 1934 with five main goals in mind.

1. Restore the financial health and break free from banker's control.

2. Expand the federally funded work relief program for the unemployed.

3. End corruption in government and racketeering in key sectors of the economy.

4. Replace patronage with a merit based civil service, with high prestige.

5. Modernize the infrastructure, especially transportation and parks.

Ray knew that LaGuardia had achieved the first four goals in his first hundred days in office with the help of Franklin D. Roosevelt. LaGuardia had secured his place in history as a tough-minded reformed mayor who helped clean out corruption, bring in gifted experts, and fixed upon the city a broad sense of responsibility for its own citizens. The five foot tall mayor, nicknamed "the Little Flower", was rough on his staff and left no doubt in anyone's mind who was in charge.

"You know Egon that would be something to see wouldn't it." Ray said. "Seeing how LaGuardia's been dead for forty years."

The cruiser stopped outside of Gracie Mansion as the back door was opened for them by the guardsman.

"Yes, it would." Egon agreed stepping out of the cruiser.

Ray, Egon, Peter, and Winston were ushered through the house by a butler to a set of double oak doors. The butler opened the door to reveal the inside of a beautiful antique furnished study with Jack Hardemeyer sitting in a chair watching the scene before him. The men were dressed in long underwear, save one. Mr. Hardemeyer knew that the mayor wasn't going to be happy with the "Ghostbusters" tonight. He was in a formal reception waiting to give his speech for the up and coming new year to the press and campaign contributors of the city. Seeing that three of the men were covered in some kind of gel Mr. Hardemeyer sternly told them not to sit on the antique chairs and couches. Peter Venknam, the only one of the group in a suit, sat right down on the couch waiting for the mayor. A few minutes later the doors opened again as the mayor impatiently entered the study.

"Lenny…Big man!" Peter and Ray said together, but the mayor wasn't impressed.

"All right, the "Ghostbusters". I'll tell you right now; I've got two hundred of the heaviest campaign contributors in the city out there eating roast chicken and waiting for me to give the speech of my life." he said as he crossed to his chair and sat down into it. "So you've got two minutes. Make it good gentlemen."

"Well, first of all, Mr. Mayor, it's a great pleasure to see you again." Ray said trying to stay calm. "And I just want to say that almost fifty percent of us voted for you in the last election."

"I appreciate that." the mayor said.

"I'm just sorry we always have to meet under these circumstances." Peter said to the mayor.

Ray continued. "Mr. Mayor, we are here tonight because a psychomagnetheric slime flow of immense proportions is building beneath the city."

"Psycho-what?" the mayor asked turning to Mr. Hardemeyer for an explanation.

"Psychomagnetheric." Egon said the word slowly as Peter under his breath said 'Big word'.

Egon ignored Peter and continued, explaining in layman's terms. "Negative human emotions are materializing in the form of a viscous, psycho reactive plasma with explosive supernormal potential."

The mayor was still confused. "Does anybody speak English here?" he asked tossing his hands up into the air.

Winston came to the mayor's rescue as he crossed over to his chair and squatted down before him remembering what Mr. Hardemeyer had said about the furniture.

"Yea. Your Honor, see, what we're trying to tell you is like, all the bad feelings, all the hate, the anger and vibes of this city is turning into this sludge! Now, I didn't believe it at first either, but we just went for a swim in it and we ended up almost killing each other!"

"This is insane! I mean, do we really have to listen to this?" Mr. Hardemeyer asked the mayor.

Peter could see that they were not having great success impressing the mayor and got up from the couch and crossed to Mr. Hardemeyer waving his hands in the man's face.

"Can't you stop your lips from flapping for two little minutes?!" he said and then turned his body towards the mayor as he stopped behind Mr. Hardemeyer's chair. "Lenny, have you been out on the streets lately? Do you know how weird it is out there? We've taken our own little head count. There seems to be three million completely miserable people living in the tri-state area!"

"Oh, please." Mr. Hardemeyer said rolling his eyes.

"I beg your pardon. Three million and one." Peter said placing his hands onto Mr. Hardemeyer's shoulders.

"Hey!" Mr. Hardemeyer shouted at Peter.

"Look Mr. Mayor, when you've got enough negative energy flowing in a dense environment like Manhattan, it starts to build up, and what budgie-brain here doesn't realize is that if we don't do something fast, this whole place is gonna blow like a frog on a hot plate." Ray said.

"Yeah, right. I don't believe you." Mr. Hardemeyer said to Ray.

"What am I supposed to do?" the mayor asked clearly upset at the whole group of men. "Go on television and tell ten million people that they have to be nice to each other? I'm sorry, none of this makes any sense to me."

The mayor got up from his chair and crossed the room. Before opening the door to go back to the reception he turned around and left the men with his final words.

"Being miserable and treating other people like dirt is every New Yorker's God-given right. Your two minutes are up! Good night, gentlemen." the mayor pulled open the door and left the group of men shouting at his back.

Peter gave up as the door closed and turned to his friends. "Oh, I think the Times is gonna be interested in this, don't you? The Post might have a lot of fun with it too. And you know the polls are gonna be down!"

Ray, Egon, and Winston realized what Peter was trying to do. Maybe they could use the local papers to help their cause.

"Mayor Hides Slime. Interesting headline right?" Winston asked Ray.

"I like Times Square Slimed." Ray said lost in thought.

"No, Ray that would be Slime Square." Egon said to him.

"Yeah, Egon your right. Slime Square."

Mr. Hardemeyer held up his hands his eyes cold and calculating. He had to stop these men before they ruined the mayor's chances of running for governor.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" he said finally getting the men's attention. "Fine, fine, fine. Now, before you all go running off to the newspapers with this, would you consider telling this slime business to some of our people downtown?"

Peter looked at his friends nodding his head. "Now you're talking but it's gotta be done right away."

Ray nodded his head. Now they had a chance to try and stop whatever was going on. If they could convince the City Council, the council in turn would convince the mayor. It was a win-win situation all the way around Ray thought as he and his friends followed Mr. Hardemeyer out of the study and down a hallway.

"I just need to call for a van so if you could please wait in here." Mr. Hardemeyer said holding open a door to allow the men to go inside.

Seeing that the men were safely inside he closed and locked the door from the outside. "The "Ghostbusters" will never know what hit them." Mr. Hardemeyer said to himself as he walked back to the mayor's study to call the local mental hospital.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Doctor Charlie Levine was in the middle of packing his suitcase when he heard his phone ringing in his apartment. It was Friday afternoon and he had just finished his shift at Columbia's Urgent Medical Care Center. It was also the Friday before the new year and he was going to go on a mini vacation of sorts. He had planned on driving up to Niagara Falls and seeing the area over the long weekend. He had found a replacement to take his shift at Parkview Medical Hospital for tonight and tomorrow. Charlie had planned on returning to the city on Monday afternoon. Sighing, he placed his folded gray Henley shirt into his suitcase and walked out of the bedroom to answer the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Doctor Levine?" a female voice asked on the other end.

"Yes, this is Doctor Levine. What can I do for you?"

"Doctor Levine I'm glad I caught you before you left the city. We need you to come into work tonight. Your replacement was involved in an auto accident. He's okay but will not be able to cover for you tonight."

Charlie just shook his head. Why him? He opened his mouth to tell the lady that he was on vacation and that Doctor Murray, the other doctor that worked with him at night, could handle anything that came in tonight but he stopped before he could say anything.

Doctor Murray was a good doctor but sometimes he could be a bit 'heavy-handed' with his patients, drugging them when Charlie felt that other means would have worked. Still, no one had died under Doctor Murray's care. It was just a matter of preference. Charlie would resort to sedating his patients after all else failed. Doctor Murray would sedate first and ask questions later. Still…

Charlie went to open his mouth again and then had a very dark thought.

"_If you leave tonight you will have killed your friend!"_

Charlie looked around the room. He swore he heard a voice as clear as day talking to him just now. A man's voice. Kill his friend? Who was that?

"Doctor Levine, are you there?" the female voice on the other end asked.

"Yes," Charlie replied. "Sorry, long day. I'll be there at midnight for my shift. Thank you."

As Charlie hung up the phone he felt a great pressure of relief come off of his shoulders. Why all of a sudden did he feel like he was a puppet on a string being led around a stage? He shrugged it off as he went back to his bedroom and took the suitcase off of the bed. "Might as well get a couple hours of sleep before going in." he told himself. Friday nights could be slow or hectic. He wondered what it would be like tonight.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Doctor Murray, Chief Psychiatrist of Parkview Medical Hospital, could hear the group of men before they even got out of the van. He sighed. Mr. Hardemeyer had called him saying that he had some 'crazies' that were trying to hurt the mayor at Gracie Mansion and could he please send some help. Doctor Murray had sent some orderlies over with straightjackets, not being able to go himself. It looked as if the men had given the orderlies a hard time. Doctor Murray opened the wire mesh windowed door as the group of men fought their orderlies. They clearly didn't want to be brought inside. If they didn't calm down he was going to have to sedate them. That was his policy. Sleep first and ask questions later.

The first orderly had two men in tow. One white and one dark skinned. The white man at least wasn't saying anything. He looked annoyed at being in a straitjacket but at least he was behaving. The other man was not. He was trying to get away and yelling.

"I'm telling you, we're not crazy. He is!" he said as he gestured his head towards Mr. Hardemeyer.

Doctor Murray could see Mr. Hardemeyer laugh off the remark.

The other two men were trouble, Doctor Murray could tell. Each man had an orderly trying to lead them inside. That meant that they had caused trouble on the way here. One was tall and wearing glasses. He was causing the most problems as he swung his body forward causing the orderly that was leading him down the hallway to loose his balance. Turning sharply the man was able to get the orderly to loose his grip on the straitjacket that he was wearing. Now free, he head butted the other orderly who was holding the other man. This man was shorter and round. Now both men were free and running back down the hallway towards the entrance that they had come in. Doctor Murray had seen this before with patients. They couldn't get out of the hospital unless they had a key. All doors were kept locked. Mr. Hardemeyer started to say something to him but Doctor Murray just placed a hand on his shoulder as he watched the orderlies dust themselves off and go after the two men. Having caught them, the orderlies started walking them back down the hallway as the shorter rounder man yelled at him in passing.

"Vigo's gonna come back! The whole city's in danger! The whole state, the whole world! All we wanna do is help!"

Doctor Murray and Mr. Hardemeyer watched as the men were led through another door that was locked behind them, preventing any further chance of escape.

"See I told you." Mr. Hardemeyer said to Doctor Murray, "The mayor wants them kept under strict observation for the next few days. We think they're seriously disturbed and potentially dangerous."

"Well, we'll do whatever's necessary Mr. Hardemeyer." he said shaking his hand.

"Thank you, Doctor Murray." Mr. Hardemeyer replied.

"Here let me show you out." Doctor Murray said as he turned around to let Mr. Hardemeyer out the front door.

Doctor Murray knew that the orderlies would take the men to a padded room to 'cool off' before they could be sedated. It looked like he was going to have to find four beds tonight if the orderlies couldn't get them calmed down before his return.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Doctor Charlie Levine pulled his car into the parking lot of Parkview Medical Hospital and got out. As he let himself into the hospital he could hear the screams of patients. The psychiatric ward seemed to be alive tonight. It was going to be a busy night. Pulling his lab coat on he headed towards the sounds of suffering souls.

Letting himself into a second set of locked doors he could see that Shelly was on duty. She was the head nurse.

"Oh, Doctor Levine. I'm so glad you're here." she said.

Charlie stopped walking as she came towards him carrying multiply charts. Her statement usually meant that Doctor Murray had his hands full.

"What's up?" he asked taking the charts from her.

"Well first things first. Greg tried to hang himself in his room a couple of hours ago." she said.

Charlie sighed. Greg. He just couldn't get him to see that there were no voices in his head. Everything that he tried to do with Greg had backfired. He was going to have to talk to Ray and Egon tomorrow morning. Maybe they could help with the 'pink water' that Greg saw and heard. Egon had said that he would help Charlie whenever he needed it and now he did.

"Okay. Let's sedate him for now until tomorrow morning when I can call a colleague of mine." Charlie said to Shelly.

"Already done." she told him, "Doctor Murray's orders."

"Yes, I know. Okay next." Charlie said moving Greg's chart to the bottom of the pile.

"Samantha." she said opening the chart that Charlie was holding on top now.

"What happened?" Charlie asked scanning the written record.

"Tried to stab herself to death when she got into the kitchen somehow."

"What! How? Don't tell me I don't want to know. Boy this night just keeps getting better and better by the minute. How is she?" Charlie asked.

"We sent her down to Columbia University Medical Center. They say critical. Missed her left atrium by mere inches. Doctor Murray felt that she would be in better hands there."

"I agree. Did Doctor Murray call her mother?" Charlie asked closing the chart.

"Yes." Shelly said, "But I am sure that she would like to hear from you in the morning."

Charlie rubbed his already aching head. He was glad he hadn't gone on his vacation. His patients needed him. Maybe that was what the voice he heard had meant. He didn't really consider his patients his friends, but who was to say that the patients themselves didn't consider him a friend. Removing his hand from his head Charlie placed the chart at the bottom of the pile.

"I'll go to Columbia University Medical Center in the morning after my shift. I'm sure that Samantha's mother will be there." Charlie told her as he opened the next chart, a Winston Churchill Zeddemore.

"Oh, that one." Shelly said noticing which chart Charlie had in his hands now. "He came in with three other men. There were four men all together but only three of them were dressed in long underwear. No coats, only rain boots and covered in pink gel. Apparently they were all at Gracie Mansion trying to hurt the mayor. Kept shouting about some spirit that was alive in a painting at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and how we were wasting valuable time."

"Wasting time?" Charlie questioned as he read down the record.

"Yes. The tall one with glasses…" Shelly said as she pulled the chart she wanted from Charlie's pile and opening it started reading to him, "You're wasting valuable time. We have reason to believe that Vigo is drawing strength from a psychomagnetheric slime flow that's been collecting under the city."

"What?!" Charlie questioned lifting his head up to look at Shelly. "Did you say psychomagnetheric slime?"

"Yes. That's what he called it. Psychomagnetheric slime flow. Why?"

Charlie was scared now. Psychomagnetheric slime was the term that Egon had used when he had descried to Charlie what he thought was going on with Charlie's patients. That was the night when he had gone to see Egon at the firehouse after his so called 'panic attack'. He couldn't be here now. Could he?

"Where is this guy?" Charlie asked taking the chart away from Shelly, scanning it quickly.

The name on the top of the chart read Doctor Egon E. Spengler. It was him. His old instructor and friend.

"Doctor Murray thought it best to sedate him. He's in isolation. This guy tried to escape twice, the second time hurting an orderly." Shelly told Charlie.

"WHAT?!" Charlie roared, "This man is on muscle relaxing pills! It says so in his chart. What does Doctor Murray think he is doing?" Charlie suddenly felt very sick to his stomach.

Charlie thrust the charts back into Shelly's startled hands as he turned around and ran down the hallway towards the isolation rooms, Shelly calling after him.

"Doctor Murray thought that the guy was lying about the muscle relaxing pills! He thought he just didn't want to be sedated!"

Shelly watched Doctor Levine turn the corner and disappear from sight. If Doctor Levine was right then Doctor Murray had made a big mistake. One that could cost him the life of a patient.

Doctor Levine turned the corner to collide with an orderly and a patient that was in a straitjacket being led down the hall. Charlie could see that the man was none other then Ray Stantz.

"Ray!" he cried.

"Doctor Levine!" Ray said, "Look they took Egon. They are going to sedate him. I tried to tell them about the medicine that he is taking but they won't listen to me. They are…"

"Ray stop." Charlie said raising his hands. "I'll talk to you later. What I need to know right now is when was the last time that Egon took his muscle relaxing pills."

"About ten o'clock tonight." Ray said calming down now that he knew Doctor Levine was here for Egon. "He took two today."

"Okay," Charlie said aloud to himself. "One in the morning and one in the evening. Two's not bad. Maybe there won't be a reaction."

"No, not one in the morning and one at night. Egon takes TWO pills every morning and evening." Ray stated.

"WHAT!" Charlie raised his voice. "He should be out of pills if he has been doing that. How come he still has some left?"

"Egon has two prescription bottles Doctor Levine." Ray said, "He has one from you and one from Mount Sinai Hospital. When we were arrested that Monday the police officer took them away from him. Mount Sinai gave him another prescription and then the courts gave Egon his original prescription back the day after we were in court. Eden refilled the Mount Sinai Hospital one too. Oh my…" Ray trailed off now realizing what Doctor Levine was trying to figure out.

"Egon's been overdosing himself!" Charlie and Ray said together.

Charlie turned and ran down the hall, leaving Ray standing there. He had to get to Egon before they sedated him. Egon had been overdosing on his muscle relaxing pills and that put him at a greater risk for possible side effects. Charlie had warned Egon about that. Was Egon overdosing himself on purpose or by accident? Charlie didn't know the answer to that as he opened the locked door to the isolation room. It looked like he wasn't going to be able to get Egon to answer that question either. Charlie saw two men holding Egon down on a bed as another one finished removing the needle from Egon's great saphenous vein in his leg.

Charlie didn't waste any time as he yelled at the men to clear out. Before the last one left he told him to bring a 'crash cart'.

"Why?" the man asked, "He's just going to go to sleep."

"That's what you think!" Charlie yelled at him.

"Egon?" Charlie said as he started to hastily remove Egon's straitjacket from him.

If Egon was going to 'crash' Charlie needed quick access. He was going to have to place a central venous catheter into the subclavian vein in Egon's chest. Charlie grabbed the 'crash cart' that the orderly had brought back into the room with him. He threw Egon's straitjacket at the orderly. Charlie was mad. Mad at Doctor Murray for not listening to his patients. Mad at the orderly who had followed Doctor Murray's instructions without so much as a backwards glance. As Charlie took his trauma scissors from his lab coat's pocket and cut away Egon's long underwear from his chest he heard Egon muttering to himself.

"I have to get Ray out. Father help me. Ray can't be here. This is where his sister left him."

"Egon, it's me Charlie." he said trying to get Egon's attention but the medicine was working its way into his system.

Charlie placed a large blue drape over Egon's chest as he quickly cleaned the skin with chlorhexidine. Charlie inserted a hollow needle through the skin until he could see blood. The color of the blood and its rate of flow helped him to distinguish it from arterial blood, suggesting that he had entered an artery by accident. Charlie then took and inserted a blunt guidewire through the needle and then removed the needle, tossing it onto the 'crash cart'. Charlie then slowly passed the central venous catheter line over the guidewire removing the guidewire when he was done. Tossing the guidewire onto the 'crash cart' too, Charlie secured the end of the catheter with a cap. He was damned if he was going to let his old instructor die as he taped the catheter to Egon's chest and removed the blue drape, tossing it to the floor.

Charlie didn't have time to take a chest radiograph to make sure that the line was positioned inside the subclavian vein. Egon was fading away fast.

"Egon." Charlie tried again reaching for the medicine in the 'crash cart' that he wanted should Egon's body start to fail.

Egon said one word before succumbing to the drug and that word was "Father".

Charlie felt for a pulse in Egon's jugular vein. Nothing. He pulled his stethoscope out of his lab coat's pocket and placed it on Egon's chest. No breath sounds either.

"Shit!" was all Charlie could say as he shouted for help out of the open door, pushing the drug into the catheter as he did so, and started CPR on Egon.

His instructor, his mentor that he had gotten to know so well the first year he was at Columbia, his friend was dead.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Egon had his eyes closed. He didn't feel well and his arms hurt him from being in the straitjacket for so long. Trying to get comfortable Egon pulled his arms away from his sides. He knew he wouldn't be able to move them too far and was surprised when they came away easily.

Opening his eyes Egon saw a bright light. He took his right hand and shaded his eyes as he looked around him. He saw that he was lying on the ground on his left side. He also noticed that he was in a white colored room with a single closed door in front of him. He must be in one of the 'padded rooms' he thought. The orderlies must have brought him here, but something wasn't quite right about it. Slowly sitting up Egon could feel that the floor beneath his left hand was hard, not padded. Where was he?

Egon remembered the four men that had come after him and his friends with straitjackets when they were at Gracie Mansion. The van ride over to Parkview Medical Hospital had not been a very pleasant one either. Ray had almost gone insane. He was screaming and fighting the men who had come to commit them to the psychiatric ward of the hospital.

"Egon, help me!" Ray had called to him, fighting his captors every step of the way into the van. "I can't go back there! My sister left me there for two months! Two months Egon!"

Egon had been mad at Mr. Hardemeyer. He was also upset that his friend Ray was scared. Egon had eventually let the residue slime take over his mind and body when they had arrived at the hospital. He vaguely remembered head butting one orderly and breaking the arm of another one. Egon had broken the orderlies arm when he had twisted away from him and then slammed his body backwards into the orderly pinning him against the wall.

"Oh, what have I done?" Egon said to himself as he placed his face into the palms of his open hands feeling sick to his stomach.

As Egon let his hands run down his face he felt that his glasses were gone.

"That would make sense for the orderlies to remove them." Egon said, "They wouldn't want me to break the lenses to try and hurt myself or someone else."

Still something wasn't right as Egon saw the door to the room open. Standing before him was a blurry man in white who slowly walked towards him. When the man had reached Egon he squatted down and placed his right hand upon Egon's left shoulder. Egon knew this man, but from where?

"Egon," the man said, "you are going to be fine. Do you know who I am?"

Egon regarded the man before him. Two things happened at once to Egon. First, was that Egon could see clearly. As soon as the man had touched him, Egon's sight had become clear as if he was wearing his glasses, but how? The second, was that Egon recognized the man before him.

"Father?" Egon questioned grabbing both of his father's arms, not wanting to let him go.

"Yes, son it's me." his father Edison said, "You called me, remember?"

Egon thought back. He had remembered letting the slime take over his mind and body. He had two visions when he had done this. One was to fight for Ray's freedom and the other one was when he had almost burnt down the house calling for his father to help him.

Egon nodded his head as he pulled his father into a hug. "You came to help me." Egon said as he felt his father's arms around him holding him tight.

"Yes and no." Edison said releasing his son. "I can't stay long. We don't have much time."

Edison stood up and offered his hand to Egon. Egon took it and let his father help him stand up. Following his father out the door and down the hall Egon didn't understand why his father couldn't stay long, then he remembered.

When Egon and his friends had arrived at the hospital, Doctor Murray had told Egon that if he didn't calm down he was going to sedate him. Egon had told Doctor Murray that he was taking muscle relaxing pills but Doctor Murray had point blank told Egon to his face that he was lying. Ray had even tried to tell the good doctor that Egon was telling the truth but to no avail. That's when Egon had accidentally broken the orderlies arm trying to get away from him. Egon had been dragged into a small room where he had been forced onto a bed. While he was being held down by two orderlies a male nurse had injected the sedative into a vein in his leg because his arms were still in the straitjacket. Egon couldn't remember anything after that but feeling very sleepy. That must be it. His father couldn't stay long because Egon was dreaming him.

Edison had come to the end of the hall and walked over to a white brick wall. Sitting down he realized that Egon had stopped following him. Looking back Edison saw his son standing at the end of the hall where it opened up into the large room before him now. Edison smiled at his son's shocked surprised face. When Edison had first come here he had done the same thing. He had been greeted by his father in the same room he had just led Egon away from. Edison's father had walked him to this very spot and he had been surprised to see all his long gone members of his family here.

Egon had stopped at the end of the hall where the hall opened up into a large room. He couldn't believe it. All his family members that he had ever known were there and everyone was dressed in white. Egon's grandfather Elton Spengler was there along with Grandma Delora. These were his father's and Uncle Cyrus's parents. They had been killed in a boating accident on Lake Erie when he was eight. They looked up and smiled at him. Waving at him they went back to playing ball with the children that were there. Why were there children here in his dream?

Egon took a step further into the room. He saw great-grandparents now along with uncles, aunts, and cousins. Eli Spengler, his fourth great-grandfather was there talking to a relative. Egon didn't remember where this relative fit into the family line but he knew who the man was. Egan Fairfax Spengler was considered the black sheep of the family. He was also the family member who Egon was named after. While Egon had chosen the field of science, Egan had turned away from science to follow his own path. Egan had been alive when Giacomo Puccini was writing his operas. As a young teenager Egan had been intrigued by the music and by Puccini's opera's impractical. Egan Fairfax Spengler had become an opera singer much to his family's dismay. Egan had sung the main characters from Puccini's operas; Rodolfo from La Boheme; Mario Cavaradossi from Tosca; B.F. Pinkerton from Madama Butterfly; and The Emperor Altoum from Turandot.

Egon had never heard Egan's deep rich tenor voice but Egan's descendants had told him that he had Egan's voice when he was a young teenager and had sung at a family gathering with Uncle Cyrus's kids. This had intrigued Egon to find out more about this relative of his and in turn he had grown to love opera and classical music because of it. Puccini's operas being his favorite. Egon could read musical diction and play the guitar but he never really thought his voice was very good. That was until he met Eden. She had heard him sing and had told him that with a little bit of work his voice could be trained to sing his beloved opera.

Eden. Where was she? If this was his dream shouldn't she be here? Egon wondered looking around the room for her. Egon saw Eli crossed the room with a young girl in tow, answering his unspoken question.

"Grandson, Eden can't be here. Come and see why." Eli said taking Egon's arm and bringing him over to where his father sat on a white brick wall.

Eli gently forced Egon down onto the wall, facing his father, and then took his hand away. Eli placed the young girl in front of his body so that she faced Egon, Edison, and the white brick wall. She had a right to know what was going to happen to her. Eli waved his right hand over the abyss on the other side of the wall. Egon looked over his right shoulder to watch the scene change from a picture of a green-blue world of planet earth to one of the inside of Eden's apartment. It was late at night and all the roommates were up trying to comfort a crying Eden. What had happened? Why was Eden crying? Egon wondered.

"He's not left you." Isis told Eden.

"Yes, he has." Eden cried, "He pulled away from me at the firehouse Thursday afternoon. That tells me he doesn't want me. And he promised to be at the 'Met' to walk me home tonight and he never showed up. Just like our early dinner date at 'Tavern on the Green'."

"Eden," Grace said, "you know that Winston, Ray, and him were going into the sewer systems to follow that pink slime they found. They probably got lost down there. As soon as Egon can find a phone he will call you. You have to believe that."

"No!" Eden cried running to her bedroom.

Before slamming the door she called back to her roommates. "He never said he loved me out loud. I know he doesn't love me. He never did! Why did I pretend that he wanted me?"

The scene changed back to the green-blue world of planet earth. Egon didn't understand. Why was he dreaming this?

"This isn't a dream my son." Edison answered his unspoken question. "This is real."

Egon shook his head at his father. This was the second time that someone had answered his unspoken question. What was going on here?

"No, I'm dreaming this." Egon told his father. "The male nurse sedated me. I'm sleeping somewhere in Parkview Medical Hospital right now."

"No, Egon you're not." Eli told him waving his hand once again.

Egon looked again to his right to see a room in Parkview Medical Hospital. A room that looked vaguely familiar. Doctor Charlie Levine and a female nurse were trying to save a patient's life. Charlie was giving the man CPR as the nurse worked along side him giving the man air and administering medicine through a central line in the man's chest. As Egon looked closer he could see that the man was him. If this was real like his father had said then he was…?

Edison saw his son start to waver, leaning forward he grabbed Egon's arm before he fell over. "Egon?" he questioned.

"Father," Egon whispered to him looking away from the scene below him, "am I…dead?"

"Yes. Charlie's trying to save your life as we speak." Edison told him removing his hand and sitting back.

The scene changed back to the picture of the green-blue world. Egon nodded his head. He was starting to understand. This wasn't a dream. But what had happened that he was here now? Egon said to himself.

"Grandson," Eli said answering his unspoken question, "you were accidentally overdosing on your muscle relaxing pills when Doctor Murray ordered the drugs to sedate you with. You are having an adverse reaction like Charlie said you would when he first prescribed the pills to you."

"So I'm…" Egon gulped, "gone, for good?"

"No, not exactly." Eli said.

Egon turned his face towards his fourth great-grandfather. He didn't understand. If he was gone…dead…like his father had said, then what did Eli mean?

Edison took his son's left hand into his. "Egon, for all intents and purposes, your body is dead right now. But we need for you to go back." he said.

"What? But, I'm dead father. You just told me so." Egon questioned turning his face towards him. "I don't understand. You want me to go back? Me?"

"Yes, you." Eli said to him. "We have set into motion a chain of events so that you can go back. Egon, we need your help to fulfill a promise."

"What promise is that?" Egon asked his fourth great-grandfather.

"The promise we both made to her." Edison said releasing Egon's hand and pointing his finger at the young girl. "Your mother and I tried and were unsuccessful. Eli and Peigi tried also. Now we need you to try."

Egon looked down from Eli's face to look at the young girl. "Try what?" he wondered. The young girl was roughly about eight years of age and had long medium brown hair and light green eyes. Egon didn't recall any children that had died young in the family. Still, she resembled both Edison and Eli in her features and hair color but the eyes were wrong. No one he knew in his immediate family had green eyes. Yet somehow he knew those eyes.

"They're…" the young girl started to say before she was cut off by Eli.

"You can't tell him sweetheart." Eli said quietly to her. "He has to find out for himself. Those are the rules."

Egon's head hurt him. It was strange being here. Wherever here was. His unspoken questions were answered right away for him. As if his family could read his mind. This couldn't be Heaven because his father didn't believe in a God. Or could it? Edison had told Egon that because of the law of physics matter can't be created or destroyed. It could only be transferred into something else. If that were true then his father wouldn't be who he was now. He would be something or someone else. So who was the young girl? Egon furled his brows at her. Was this his father's next self? Reincarnation? Egon didn't think so. Egon knew that she wasn't part of any family member that he knew of, yet there was something different and very familiar about her. Egon just couldn't quite place it. That memory just out of reach. His father and fourth great-grandfather had asked for help. What help could he give them here? It seemed that they knew what was going on here better than he did. Still, being family he had an obligation to help if he could.

"What can I do to help?" Egon asked.

"Just one thing. Forgive me." Edison said.

"Forgive you?" Egon turned his head towards his father. "For what?"

"For my last words spoken to you." Edison hung his head.

Edison knew that this wasn't going to be easy for either one of them. Eli nodded his head and led the young girl away from the two men. Edison and Egon needed some privacy. Edison had said one thing that he regretted his whole life and that was his last words to his son. Egon had filled in the blank when his father had died and now Edison had to right the wrong.

"Egon." Edison said, "I am sorry for what I have put you through. My dying words to you were, Egon, my son. I am disappointed in…"

Egon cut his father off. "Yes, I know. You were disappointed in me." he said dropping his head to the floor.

Why did his father have to bring this up now? Egon had lived with this statement for five years of his life. It wasn't going to get any better with his father. All those years growing up in Ohio when Egon had told his father that he loved him and his father had never said the words back. He had come to know that his father didn't love him after all these years. Why bring it up now? Like rubbing salt into an open wound, what was his father hoping to achieve. What was there to forgive him for?

"No!" Edison said, "NOT disappointed in you. That's not what I was going to say." Sighing Edison looked up. "Egon, my son. I am disappointed in myself."

Egon raised his head to look into his father's eyes. "What?"

"My son, I was disappointed in myself for not telling you out loud that I loved you too. I was and still am very proud of everything that you have done in your life. My love for you has never wavered. I just had a hard time saying the words. I had a hard time saying them when you were young too. I am sorry. Please forgive me."

Forgiveness. His father was asking to be forgiven for his wrongs that he had done to him. Egon stood up and turned his body away from his father. Could he forgive his father? He had just dealt with this by asking for Peter to forgive him. And twice with Eden. Egon shook his head and started to pace. Edison watched him as he heard his son's thoughts in his head.

Egon didn't think that he could forgive his father. Edison was dead after all when it had happened. There was no way to tell him what had happened to make Egon the way he was now. Egon remembered Charlie's handout. It had been the last letter of the word 'forgive'. The 'E' stood for "embrace forgiveness" and stated that if the person was no longer on this earth that had harmed you, to imagine yourself humbly asking for forgiveness and the other person pardoning you. Now Egon had the chance to tell his father to his face. But could he do it?

"Egon, you mustn't be revengeful." Edison told him.

"I know." he answered.

Wait. Egon stopped pacing and turned towards his father. Edison hadn't said the words aloud. The words came into Egon's head. How can that be?

"Eli says it's what happens here, son. I can't explain it."

Again the thought came into Egon's head. Egon walked back over to his father. Did he know the feelings of his heart right now?

"Yes." Edison's answer came into Egon's head.

"So you know that I love you. Right?" Egon asked his father aloud.

"Yes, and that you don't know if you can forgive me. Let me tell you what Eli has taught me here. I disliked my father for the things that he had done to me and Cyrus growing up. I never forgave him when I was alive. I had to forgive him while I was here so that I could move on." Edison thought to his son.

Egon sat down on the white brick wall listening to his father as he continue speaking into his mind.

"Egon, forgiveness is the mightiest sword. You have to be strong and offer good for evil, return right for wrong. You can do this, I saw you do this as a young teenager in high school. The bullies who bruised you with words and made you feel small. You did nothing at all. You kept your cool. I know that this was the hardest thing that you had to bear. And then you left for Columbia University and were paired with that useless excuse of a student Peter Venkman. I disliked him being your friend and you knew it. Raymond Stantz on the other hand I saw potential in. Here was a man of science like you. Your brother that you never had. I hated Peter for the longest time because of the things he did to you. But I came to see that Peter was a true friend to you in the end. Underneath his false front lies a great man. He just doesn't see himself that way yet."

"I learned to forgive Peter just like you have. Forgiveness of those you hate will be your highest reward. Eli taught me that. Egon there will be a time when you will leave the world below just like I have. Then the injustice, pain, and sin will fall away from us and if our hearts are true we can be accepted into this place. If there is anything that we have done that we need to be forgiven for we can't move on here until we correct it. I am asking you to forgive me. I love you."

Egon didn't know what to say. His father loved him? The words were there in his head, but just like when he was a child they were never spoken aloud to him.

"I'm sorry." Edison said speaking aloud for the first time. "I'm just used to thinking my thoughts to the others here. Egon, I love you."

Egon couldn't hold back the tears anymore. "You love me?" he asked his father. "After all these years?"

"Yes," Edison said aloud. "I love you. I will never stop loving you my son. I am very proud of your work. Just do me one favor."

"What?"

"Tell your mother that she was right. There is a Heaven."

Egon heard music now. Turning his head to the left Egon saw his relative Egan at a white grand piano and the young girl by his side on the bench. They were singing together. Where did the piano come from? Egon wondered.

"It just happens my son. You wish for something here and it appears. Eli could explain it if you had more time." Edison said.

Eli came back over to the two men. Waving his hand as he did so. The abyss changed to the picture of the Parkview Medical Hospital with Egon still being worked on by Charlie. The female nurse was frantic.

"Doctor Levine, I have to call it." she said.

"Not yet," Charlie said to her. "Fight Egon come on."

"Edison there is no time left." Eli said stopping before them.

"Egon, you must forgive me now. Please, you have to help us fulfill our promise to her." Edison said indicating his head towards the young girl.

Egon heard the young girl singing in her beautiful soprano voice. He swore that he knew that voice from somewhere. But where?

"_There's a peace I've come to know, though my heart and flesh may fail, there's an anchor for my soul. I can say, it is well."_

Egan now joined with her in his deep rich tenor voice.

"_I will rise when He calls my name. No more sorrow, no more pain. I will rise on eagle's wings, before my God, fall on my knees and rise. I will rise."_

Now Egon knew where he had heard that voice before. It was Eden's voice! This must be her baby girl that she had lost. It had to be. Egon looked to his father for conformation.

"Doctor Levine! I have to call it!" the nurse said louder.

"Time's up Edison." Eli said to Egon's father.

"Father, the young girl…" Egon started to say before Edison cut him off.

"Egon, you need to forgive me now. Please. Then I can tell you who the young girl is." Edison pleaded with his son.

Edison was running out of time. Egon needed to forgive him or all would be lost. There wasn't anyone else to fulfill the promise that Eli and him had made to the young girl. She would have her heart broken and have to go elsewhere. Edison didn't want that. He loved this child. His son thought that she was Eden's lost baby that she had miscarried last year. He wasn't that far off. Indeed the girl was Eden's but she was also going to be someone else's too.

Egon looked to his father. He could forgive him and he needed to so that he could continue on with his life.

"Father, I forgive you." Egon said, "The young girl, she's Eden's miscarried baby, right?"

"No." Edison said, "She's your…"

Edison was unable to complete the sentence as his son disappeared from view. Looking over into the abyss he saw Charlie wipe his brow with his arm. Egon was back among the living.


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: Ghostbusters II is owned by Columbia Pictures an written by Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd. I am only borrowing the parts that I need for my story.

Chapter 19

Charlie stood in the doorway of the isolation room watching Shelly bathe his old instructor from Columbia University. She was almost done removing the pink gel from his body. Egon's brown hair had been washed and was now combed back instead of 'moussed' up like Egon normally kept it. Egon kept his hair in a cross between a mullet and pompadour hair cut. Charlie watched as Shelly tenderly removed a ring from Egon's left hand and placed it onto the end table where Egon's glasses sat. His old instructor looked younger than his thirty-two years and his heart went out to him.

Charlie had met Egon in 1978 when he first enrolled at Columbia University. Charlie was eighteen years of age at the time with Egon being three years older, but they had become good friends outside of the classroom. Charlie had taken Egon's Psychology 101 course because all the other classes were full at the time. The word around campus was that Doctor Egon Spengler was a very young, tough instructor. How true that statement had been. The Psychology 101 course, which was supposed to be an easy 'A' with all the other teachers, was not so with Egon's class. Egon had expected everyone to know the basics by the first month into the class; from there, he had jumped into terms and experimental psychology cases that were really for a third year student. Only a handful of students had remained with Doctor Spengler throughout the semester. The others had dropped out to take the course again with another teacher. Charlie was one of the few who had stayed and passed Egon's course with flying colors.

Egon's low moan brought Charlie back. Shelly was washing Egon's chest now as he moaned in his fitful sleep.

"Sorry." Shelly told Egon as she carefully slid the cloth across his body.

"Shelly," Charlie said moving into the isolation room, "let me finish up for you."

Shelly turned towards Charlie when she heard his voice. A tear had fallen from her eye and was traveling its way down her cheek. Charlie stopped in front of her and took his right hand and brushed away the tear with his thumb.

"Shelly, he's going to be fine." Charlie said, taking the cloth from her hands and placing it into the basin nearby. "Egon's alive. That's what's important right now. So, no tears. You're forgiven."

Shelly nodded her head, trying not to cry. Shelly had come running when Doctor Levine had hollered for help. Finding Doctor Levine doing CPR on the new patient that Doctor Murray had just sedated scared her. Shelly had seen lots of patients sedated before, but this one had had an adverse reaction to the drugs. It had to be from the muscle relaxing pills that the man was taking.

Combining benzodiazepines and barbiturates was never good in the end. Doctor Murray's drug of choice was Ketamine when he wanted to sedate a patient. Shelly knew that Ketamine was in the class of barbiturate drugs. According to the patient's record, he was taking Klonopin for his back. This was a trade name for clonazepam, which was a benzodiazepine class drug.

Ketamine caused a "depression or slowing" of the body's systems, mainly the central and peripheral nervous systems, as does Klonopin. Shelly knew this and Doctor Murray knew this, too. Doctor Murray had ignored his patient and had almost killed him. Shelly felt upset and responsible that she hadn't listened to the patient either. In the psychiatric ward, she had learned not to trust what the patients said to her. They were there for a reason, after all. Doctor Levine was different. He listened to his patients and tried to help them through their trying times.

"Doctor Levine," Shelly said, "I'm sorry. I feel it's my fault that your friend almost died."

Charlie took Shelly into his arms and hugged her. He knew that she felt bad about what had happened. It wasn't her fault. The fault lay with Doctor Murray. Charlie knew that there would be an inquiry into Doctor Murray's actions. They both needed to be emotionless for that meeting but right now they could show their emotions.

Releasing Shelly, Charlie said. "Shelly, we're doing the right treatment for him. You maintained an airway for Egon with an endotracheal tube and we are giving him intravenous fluids to flush as much of the drug as possible from his body. The pending lab work will tell me if we have gotten it all. Egon just needs supportive care, that's all."

"I know." Shelly said, wiping her eyes with a tissue she had pulled from her pocket. "It's just that you cracked two of his ribs when you gave him CPR and we can't give him anything for the pain."

Charlie nodded his head. He knew that he had cracked Egon's ribs when he was trying to save his life. He had felt the bone crepitus under his hands even before the radiograph had confirmed it. Charlie had ordered the radiograph of Egon's chest after he had brought Egon back to life. The radiograph was to make sure that the central venous catheter was positioned correctly inside Egon's subclavian vein, which it was, but the picture also showed Egon's cracked ribs.

"I'm going to call his mother in a couple of hours." Charlie said to Shelly as he pulled a chair over next to Egon's bed. "She will be able to make medical decisions for him in case he doesn't come around."

"Aren't you going to call his wife?" Shelly questioned as she started to leave the isolation room.

"Egon's not married." Charlie replied as he wrung the cloth out in the basin to wipe down Egon's chest.

"Yes, he is." Shelly pointed out, stopping at the door before she left. "He may not have told you about it, but usually men don't wear engagement rings."

"How do you know?" Charlie questioned as he turned his head towards Shelly.

"His wedding ring has an inscription inside. It says 'I love you, husband'." Shelly said as she turned and left the room.

Charlie turned his attention back to Egon as he placed the cloth on his chest to remove the last of the pink gel. Egon moaned again. "His ribs must really be hurting him." Charlie thought, as he removed the cloth and placed it into the basin. At least he was breathing on his own so that he didn't have to be on a ventilator. Opening the bottom drawer of the end table, next to Egon's hospital bed, Charlie removed a blue hospital gown to dress Egon's naked body in.

"When did Egon marry Eden?" Charlie wondered as he carefully dressed his friend. He knew that Shelly's statement about the ring made sense, but Egon wasn't a normal everyday man. He was the most brilliant minded man Charlie knew and the most open to possibilities. Egon would always sit and listen to his students no matter how crazy they may sound. A certified genius whose only vice was that he was a sugar addict for 'junk food'. Charlie finished dressing Egon and picked up the ring from the end table. The outside of the ring was of Celtic design. Charlie smiled. Eden had chosen the ring wisely. Egon was fascinated by anything Celtic in design.

"You know," Egon told Charlie one day when they were having lunch together as student and teacher, "the meanings or interpretations of the Celtic symbols have evolved over the years following research by archaeologists and anthropologists of Celtic Lore."

Charlie saw that Egon's ring was of yellow gold with a Celtic Knot pattern on it. Charlie knew that the delicate twists and turns were found in ancient stone art, and similar designs existed in Norse culture.

"While many of the ancient designs certainly had some spiritually significant meaning, the Celtic Knot's meaning has been lost to the ages." Egon told Charlie that day. "The continual looping of the designs may have suggested themes of eternity and interconnectedness, and the knots may have been made at one time to foil evil spirits. We will never know as the Celts left very little in the way of records."

Charlie looked inside the ring. There was an inscription inside but Charlie couldn't read it.

"_Graim thu fear ceile."_

Charlie didn't recognize the language but Shelly had. Shelly had said that the ring's inscription was "I love you, husband". What language was this that Eden had placed inside?

Egon moaned again and moved his body slightly. Charlie could see that his friend was coming around and placed the ring back onto the end table. Charlie saw that Egon was swallowing and moving his endotracheal tube in his mouth. Charlie deflated the cuff on the tube and gently pulled it from Egon's throat. Egon had been dead for eight minutes before Charlie had brought him back to life. If Charlie had not come into work tonight his friend would have died at the stroke of midnight on December 30, 1989. Egon had slept for four and a half hours afterwards. What drug dose was Doctor Murray giving to his patients? Charlie wondered as he took Egon's left hand into his.

Charlie looked up at the ceiling in the isolation room. Whoever had said those fateful words to him, _"If you leave tonight you will have killed your friend."_ had been right.

"Thank you," Charlie said aloud to no one in particular. "Thank you for the warning."

"You're welcome." came the reply in a man's voice.

Charlie looked around the isolation room. No one was there. The words must have come from Egon.

"Egon?" Charlie questioned his old instructor.

"Father?" Egon quietly answered back.

Charlie inclined his head. Egon must be having hallucinations from the Klonopin he was taking. The most common side effect was drowsiness. That was why Charlie had told Egon not to take any sleeping pills when he was taking the muscle relaxing medication. The less common side effect of the drug was hallucinations. But now that Charlie knew Egon was overdosing himself, the hallucinations could definitely be a side effect for Egon. Why was Egon overdosing himself? Benzodiazepines were known to cause or worsen depression but Charlie didn't think that Egon was depressed. He hadn't stated it to him. If Egon was, he hid it very well. Charlie just thought that Ray wanted a friend in his group class on Wednesday. This was Ray's second time through the class and still Charlie hadn't been able to graduate Ray as he kept missing classes.

Charlie sighed. Doctor Raymond Stantz was most likely in one of the 'padded rooms' right now. Charlie knew that Ray didn't want to be here and he didn't blame him. His sister Jean had signed him into Parkview Medical Hospital after Ray had attempted suicide in 1987. Ray had spent two long lonely months here before he was released. That had been during Charlie's second year as a resident. Charlie had only gotten to know Ray during his suicide prevention classes on Wednesday nights, after Ray's year and a half of counseling. The councilor felt that Ray still needed guidance but Ray had shut off any conversation with him. The councilor felt that maybe a new face would be able to bring Ray around so he had assigned Ray to Charlie's class in July of this year.

Charlie knew that Ray had missed a couple of classes the first time around. Charlie didn't think anything of it until the second time through and Ray had missed the same two classes. Charlie would have to talk to Ray, one-on-one, while he was here. Ray had missed the two most important classes. The one was "Why did you attempt suicide" and the other was "Your feelings about your suicide attempt".

Egon's low moaning brought Charlie back to the present.

"Father, I forgive you." Egon muttered. "The young girl, she's Eden's miscarried baby, right?"

Charlie was shocked. Eden's baby? No, miscarried baby Egon had said. Charlie suddenly felt very sick to his stomach. Releasing Egon's hand Charlie barely made it to the restroom inside the isolation room, before he lost the contents of his stomach into the toilet.

Eden had been pregnant? Now Charlie thought he knew why Egon was overdosing himself. Egon wanted to forget the loss of his first child. It wasn't really any of Charlie's business who Egon slept with but this was a shock to Charlie's system. He knew that the two cared deeply for each other. He remembered reading in the local newspaper how Eden Parnell was going to be out for a week at the 'Met' around the end of November. The 'Met' had said that she had the flu. Was that a cover up for what really had happened? Charlie was going to have to question Doctor Paul Stringham at seven in the morning when he got into work at St. Luke's Hospital. As Charlie went over to the sink and washed his face he knew that Doctor Stringham would know what truly went on that week. He was Eden's primary care physician after all.

"Father!" Egon cried again.

Quickly drying his face, Charlie left the restroom and crossed to Egon's side. This was a big loss for Egon. Losing a child was never easy and to lose one before it was born was even harder.

"Egon, it's me Charlie. Can you open your eyes for me?"

Egon's eyes opened for a moment before they closed again, pain clearly upon his face.

"Charlie?"

"Yes, Egon. I'm here."

"My chest hurts." Egon said opening his eyes again and raising his right hand to tap his chest.

"I know. I'm sorry about that. I cracked two of your ribs when I performed CPR on you. Here let me help you." Charlie said as he raised the head of Egon's hospital bed up.

"Better?" Charlie asked.

"Yes. Thank you."

Charlie took a seat and looked Egon over. He had to know what was going on with Egon mentally so that he could treat him accordingly.

"Egon. Can you tell me what happened?"

Egon nodded his head. It hurt when he breathed deeply but at least he was alive. "Yes, Mr. Hardemeyer had us committed." he said.

"I know and before that?"

Egon closed his eyes trying to remember. "We went for a swim in a river of psychomagnetheric slime."

"I know Egon." Charlie said, "What I need to know is why you were overdosing on the muscle relaxing pills that I prescribed to you?"

Egon turned his head away from Charlie, his eyes still closed, as he said one word. "Accident."

"Bull!" Charlie said, "I think you were overdosing yourself on purpose. You turning your head away from me proves it!"

Egon opened his eyes and looked Charlie's way. Why was Charlie mad at him?

"Charlie it was an accident," Egon told him, "I swear. I didn't read the directions the first night because I didn't have my glasses on. I always take two aspirin and didn't think anything of it. It only slightly occurred to me when I was at Mount Sinai Hospital and they gave me one white pill instead of the blue ones that you gave me. I just thought it was a different medication, that's all."

"Egon." Charlie said more gently now. "I have a feeling that you were overdosing yourself on purpose to try to forget something from your life."

"Why would I want to forget about my life Charlie?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe something to do with Eden?"

"Eden?" Egon asked confused at where Charlie was going with this.

"Yes, Eden." Charlie said reaching over and picking up Egon's ring. "Is that why you married her? Because of what happened in her past. Are you still trying to protect her?"

Egon furled his brows at Charlie. "Charlie I'm not married yet, only engaged." he said, "Why would Eden's past have anything to do with me?"

"Eden's past has everything to do with you Egon and you know it. Now Shelly, the head nurse here, says that this ring's inscription reads 'I love you, husband'. So don't give me no song and dance story of you being engaged. Men don't wear engagement rings!"

Egon didn't understand. Eden had placed the ring on his left hand last week and there it had stayed. He had never removed it. Egon didn't know that there was an inscription inside the ring.

"Could I please see my ring?" Egon asked Charlie holding his left hand out to him. "I have never removed the ring since Eden placed it on my finger last week."

"So you have been married a week and didn't bother telling me." Charlie said handing Egon the ring. "I don't recognize the language that's inside."

"Charlie, for the last time I'm not married and yes this man does wear an engagement ring." Egon said taking the ring from him.

There was an inscription inside but Egon couldn't read it without his glasses.

"Charlie, do you have my glasses?"

"Yes." Charlie said reaching over to the end table to retrieve Egon's glasses.

"Here they are." he said handing Egon his glasses back.

Egon placed the large, round, dark brown frames onto his large, hooked nose. Turning the ring's inside to face him he read aloud:

"Graim thu fear ceile."

"That's a pretty language." Charlie said to him. "Does it mean 'I love you, husband' like Shelly said."

"Yes." Egon replied. "It's Irish. 'Graim thu' is 'I love you' and 'fear ceile' is husband. That makes sense that Eden would put that saying into the Celtic Knot design of the ring."

Charlie nodded his head. Eden was a smart woman. And Shelly was too. How did she know that the inscription was Irish? He would have to ask her later.

"So, let's talk about Eden now." Charlie said to Egon.

"Why do you want to talk about Eden, Charlie?" Egon replied as he replaced the ring onto his left hand. "Eden loves me and we are planning on getting married in the spring of next year."

"What about children?"

"Eden wants a large family. Why?" Egon narrowed his eyes and looked Charlie right in the eye. "It's really none of your business how many children we have Charlie."

"Egon." Charlie said reverently. "I think your hiding something from me. I need to know a straight answer so that I can treat you correctly. Are you depressed?"

"No." Egon replied. "I was depressed at one point in my life but not anymore."

"Any suicidal thoughts lately?"

"Only when I was in the psychomagnetheric slime flow. I had to think positive thoughts then to keep the thoughts of suicide out of my mind."

"Okay Egon," Charlie said crossing his arms and leaning back into his chair, "then why is it that you said, 'The young girl, she's Eden's miscarried baby, right?' when you were waking up."

Charlie saw Egon's face turn white.

"I said that aloud?"

"Yes," Charlie replied, "that's why I think that you were overdosing on your Klonopin. You wanted to forget about Eden's miscarriage. Right?"

"No."

"Egon you can't lie to me. If you are depressed then I have to know so that I can change your medication."

"No Charlie, I'm not depressed." Egon said getting upset at him.

"Egon," Charlie said uncrossing his arms and leaning forward, "I don't want to see you trying to kill yourself. You're my friend. There are other ways to deal with your pain."

"Charlie…" Egon started to say before he was cut off.

"Egon. I believe everything you have ever said to me, but not this. Just tell me one thing. Was Eden Parnell pregnant and going to have a baby girl?"

Egon breathed heavily. His chest hurt him when he did that. How did he speak aloud what had happened to Eden? The last thing that he remembered was talking to his father about Eden. This was supposed to be a secret. Who else knew?

"Well, Egon." Charlie said.

"Charlie does anyone else know about this?"

"No. I was the only one here when you were muttering. So out with it."

"I'll tell you under one condition."

"What condition is that?" Charlie asked, "You know if it has anything to do with hurting yourself or others that I'm obligated to tell."

"No." Egon said hanging his head. "I have no desire to hurt myself or others. It's just that this pregnancy with Eden is a secret. You can't tell anyone."

"So Eden was pregnant?"

"Yes." Egon said raising his head up, a tear in his eye.

Charlie saw Egon's face and knew that this was a painful subject for him. He also knew that Egon had to talk about his feelings or he would become depressed and suicidal in the end. Charlie didn't want that. He would rather see his old instructor alive and on medication then in a box six feet under the ground. Charlie took Egon's left hand into his.

"Look Egon," he said, "I know that this is a sore subject for you, but I have to know something. Was the baby that Eden miscarried your daughter?"

"No, she was Ben's." Egon said seeing the confused look in Charlie's face. "You got time for a story?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXX

Ray sat on the couch next to Egon in the dayroom, a dingy lounge for the patients in the locked psychiatric ward. There was a small television set, a Ping-Pong table, a few smaller tables and chairs, and an assortment of magazines and old newspapers. The place hadn't changed much since Ray had been there last.

It was Sunday, the last day of the year. Ray could see that the sun was shinning brightly outside in the sky through the heavy wire mesh covering the windows of Parkview Medical Hospital. Inside the dayroom it was gloomy in spirit. The walls were painted a 'prison-gray' in color which didn't help any with how Ray and Egon were feeling.

Winston, Peter, Ray, and Egon had been here for a full day now. At eight on Saturday morning Doctor Murray had taken Winston, Peter, and him into a private room where there had been a large table. Having the men sit at the table, Doctor Murray had questioned them on why they had been at Gracie Mansion and were trying to hurt the Mayor.

When Ray had asked where Egon was he was told it was none of his business. Ray and his friends were tired. They had repeated their story so many times late Friday night/early Saturday morning, before they were separated, that it was sounding farfetched to them as well. Ray was into his fifth or sixth time through explaining what was going on.

"As I explained before, we think the spirit of a 16th century Moldavian tyrant, called Vigo the Carpathian, is alive and well in a painting at the Manhattan Museum of Art." Ray told Doctor Murray who was sitting at the head of the table.

"I see." said Doctor Murray. "And are there any other paintings in the museum with 'bad spirits' in them?"

Before Ray could answer him Doctor Levine had entered the room with two police officers behind him.

"Excuse me. Doctor Murray," Doctor Levine said, "would you please come with me. We have to talk."

Doctor Murray had left Ray, Peter, and Winston and had gone with Doctor Levine and the two police officers. Shelly, the head nurse Ray had found out later, had taken the men to the restroom where there was a shower. Doctor Murray had not allowed the men to even wash the slime off of themselves before he had started to question them yesterday.

Ray and his friends had showered, shaved, and changed into blue hospital scrubs. When the men were done, Doctor Levine had come back to talk to them about what was going on. Leading them into his office he had them take a seat before he closed the door and crossed to sit behind the small black metal desk facing them.

"You are probably wondering where Doctor Egon Spengler is right now?" Charlie said to them.

"Doctor Murray told me it was none of my business when I asked him an hour ago." Ray replied.

"Ray, it is your business." Charlie told him.

Charlie didn't know how to put it gently about what had happened with their friend. Doctor Murray was to blame for what had happened. The police officers had taken him into custody for attempted murder. Charlie would have to answer questions, as well as Shelly and Egon. Charlie should have been off work two hours ago. It was going to be a long weekend. Letting out a sigh Charlie continued.

"There was an incident with Doctor Spengler at midnight."

"What happened?" Peter asked.

"Doctor Murray ordered your friend to be sedated because he broke an orderly's arm trying to escape." Charlie told Peter.

"I told Doctor Murray that he couldn't do that because Egon was taking medication but he just ignored me." Ray pointed out to Peter.

"I know Ray," Charlie said, "I was the one who prescribed the medication to Egon in the first place. When I went to stop the nurse who was going to sedate Egon I was too late. Egon had an adverse reaction to the drug. His heart stopped and he died early this morning."

"NO!" Ray and Peter said together.

"So…he's gone?" Winston asked quietly.

"Oh, no!" Charlie said much to the relief of the men. "I was able to get a central line into him before he crashed. That and CPR saved Egon's life. He's alive but very tired right now. I've got him on intravenous fluids to flush the drug from his system. I'll let you see him now."

Charlie picked up the phone on his desk and dialed a number.

"Shelly could you please come to my office and escort these gentleman down to Doctor Spengler's room." he said into the receiver before replacing the phone back into its cradle.

As the men got up to leave Charlie called out to Ray.

"Ray. One moment of your time please."

"Sure Doctor Levine." Ray said as he sat back down into his chair across the desk from Charlie.

Charlie waited for Peter and Winston to leave and close the door behind them before he turned his attention to Ray.

"Ray I know that you're worried about Egon. I also know that you don't want to be here and had spent all night in a 'padded room' in a straitjacket. I'm sorry for the way Doctor Murray treated you and I don't blame you if you lodge a complaint against him." Charlie said.

"Ray, I have to know something before I can let you go and see your friend. You missed two of my lectures on Wednesday nights the first time you took my class and I noticed that the same thing happened this time around. Why don't you want to talk about your attempted suicide and your feelings on the subject?"

"I just can't Doctor Levine." Ray said dropping his head to look at the floor. "Too many bad memories that I want to leave buried."

"You are going to have to talk about it or I can't graduate you Ray. You are going to have to repeat the group class or you can talk to me in private, right now. Anything you say will never leave this room."

Ray sighed and looked up. If he was going to have to talk about his past he would rather it be now in private with only one person knowing. Even Egon didn't know all of his past.

"Doctor Levine," Ray finally said after a long pause. "I tried to kill myself because I felt no one wanted me. It all started when my parents died in a car crash when I was almost eleven years old."

Ray remembered back to that day as he recalled the event for Charlie. "It was raining and Dad was driving too fast. He lost control of the car and it hit a tree. The car exploded leaving very little human remains behind. I was separated from my brother and sister because no one wanted me. While my older brother Carl went to Military School and my sister Jean went to live with Aunt Lois, I was sent to Morrisville, New York to be raised by a set of rather uncaring foster parents."

"When my parent's 'will' was read, they left the family house in the Bronx to me and stated in the 'will' it was because I was their favorite child. Carl and Jean didn't speak to me for the longest time afterwards. When I started college at Columbia University Jean finally started speaking to me again."

"Why?" Charlie asked.

"I think it had to do with the fact that I didn't sell the house to get money to pay for schooling when I started college. I worked evenings at one job, weekends at the zoo, and took out student loans to pay for my education. She was proud about that." Ray told Charlie.

"So it seems to me that your life was taking a turn for the better. You were working, putting yourself through college and were talking to your sister again. So what went wrong?" Charlie asked.

"When we got sued by Walter Peck back in '84. That's what went wrong." Ray told him. "After that I felt that I was considered a 'fad' rather than a 'success'. I blamed Peter for what had happened to me. Winston, Janine, and Louis had all left for other jobs. My sister had just had her first baby, a girl, and was busy with her. She didn't have a lot of time for me. And Egon…" Ray trailed off.

Egon. How could Ray explain to Doctor Levine his feelings for Egon? His friend. His best friend. But Egon was more than a best friend. He was that older brother that Carl never was to him.

"Ray." Charlie quietly asked seeing his hesitation. "Do you consider Egon more than a friend?"

"Yes." Ray replied. "Egon is even more than a best friend to me. He was my brother that I never had growing up."

"Because your own brother, Carl, wouldn't talk to you."

"Yes, Doctor Levine. When Egon went back home to Ohio, to pay off his debt to the city of New York, I felt that everyone was gone again. Just like when my parents died. I felt unwanted and unloved. No one wanted me when my parents died and no one wanted me now. Why was I even alive in this cruel world? I felt that no one would care if I disappeared for good."

Ray got up from his chair and walked over to look out the window, tears in his eyes. Charlie waited patiently while Ray composed himself before going on with his story.

"I came to a point in my life that I wanted out. I was tired of being alone. I was in so much debt that I would never be able to pay back. The court system had taken away the one thing that I loved the most. My brother, Egon, was gone. There was nothing left for me. I saw only one way out and that was to join my parents wherever they were."

"I understand that your sister Jean found you that day." Charlie said to Ray.

"Yes." Ray said turning around and wiping his eyes on the sleeve of his hospital scrubs. "I had taken all the prescription bottles that I owned plus ones from my sister's house too. That's how she knew something was wrong that day when her husband went to take his heart medication. She tried calling my store but I refused to answer the phone. She came to find me at my kitchen table right after I had taken a combination of sleeping pills, aspirin, antidepressants, heart medication and alcohol."

"Jean called an ambulance as she kept me awake until the paramedics came. She knew that if I closed my eyes that I might never open them again. She also knew I didn't want to be alive right then. Jean told me that when I was in the ambulance, going to the hospital, that I flat lined and the paramedics brought me back to life. The hospital pumped so much stuff from my stomach they were amazed that I was still alive. I am still having some withdrawals to this day because of my own stupidity."

"So," Charlie stated, "now we need to get you over this. I know from your medical records that you were taking Cymbalta as your antidepressant medication. The worst withdrawal symptoms from that are nightmares. Are you still having those?"

"Yes. When I went under 1st Avenue and found that slime at Van Horne Station it made my nightmares worse. I don't want to go to sleep at night because of it. When I do, I wake up sweating, confused, and nauseous."

"Ray those are withdrawal symptoms from your medication. Are you still taking the Cymbalta?"

"Yes, but sometimes I don't. I don't like what it does to me. I was told I had to take it because I'm still depressed."

"When you miss your dose are your withdrawal symptoms worse?"

"Yes."

"Okay Ray, that's because Cymbalta has a short half-life ranging approximately ten hours. I'm going to switch your medication to Prozac which has a longer half-life and then we are going to start decreasing from there. The likelihood and severity of the withdrawal symptoms will most likely not be noticed. Ray, I have known you for half a year now. I don't find that you are depressed or suicidal. I do find that you have had 'bad things' happen to you in your past."

Charlie got up from his seat and walked over to where Ray stood by the window. Placing his hand onto Ray's shoulder he continued.

"Ray, just because 'bad things' have happened to you it doesn't make you a 'bad person'. What doesn't kill you can only make you stronger. You are true to the meaning of your name."

"I don't understand."

"Don't you know what your name 'Raymond' stands for?"

"No."

"It's from Old English and it means 'wise guardian'. So come on, let's go see your brother Egon." Charlie said as he took Ray into his arms and hugged him.

Releasing him, Charlie put his arm around Ray's shoulder and walked him out of his office and down the hall to see Egon.

Egon's coughing brought Ray back from his daydream. Ray knew that Doctor Levine had cracked two of Egon's ribs when he had died. Egon was to cough or breath deeply every hour so that he wouldn't develop pneumonia. Egon's ribs would take up to six weeks to heal Doctor Levine had said.

Ray turned his head to his left to see Egon unwrapping a white strip of cloth, that held a plastic bag filled with chipped ice, from his chest. Doctor Levine had told Egon that he was to apply the ice to the bruised area for the first 72 hours after the incident. The ice would help reduce the swelling and pain so that the bruised tissue could heal. Egon was clearly in discomfort but he didn't say anything to Ray. He knew that there were more important things to deal with than two cracked ribs. They all needed to get out of the hospital so that they could go and confront the painting of Vigo at the museum. If they didn't Peter had said that the guest on his television show will have been correct. The end of the world was at hand.

Egon sighed and placed the plastic bag and strip of cloth on the coffee table in front of him. He felt Ray's hand on his right thigh and placed his right hand on top of Ray's and gave it a squeeze before releasing it. He knew Ray was concerned about him and hadn't left his side since Doctor Levine had brought Ray to his hospital's bedside Saturday at 9:30 in the morning.

There Ray had stayed, as Egon tried to rest with Ray helping him to wrap his chest with the strip of cloth and ice chips every twenty minutes. Egon had let Ray help him when they were alone, but here in the dayroom he had told Ray that he could do it on his own. Egon's chest hurt him but it was a small price to pay for seeing his father one last time. Egon wiped his eyes with a tissue he took from the box on the coffee table. Coughing made his eyes water from the pain, but not all the tears were from that.

When Ray had sat by his bedside they had talked about what had happened to him when he had died. Ray had called it an 'out of body experience'. Egon didn't really know what to consider it. His father growing up had never believed in such things, only his mother. Edison had told him to tell his mother that she was right, there was a Heaven. So his father had been wrong all those years and he, Egon, had been wrong too about his father. Egon believed that his father didn't love him and was disappointed in him. Egon was surprised to find out that his father did love him, always had, and always will. When Edison had spoken his last words to him, Egon had filled in the blank. Egon had been wrong with the answer that he thought his father was going to say. Now he knew his father's true feelings. Edison had been disappointed in himself, not Egon. Because of this Egon didn't really want to fill in the last word left unspoken by his father this time.

"_She's your…"_

These words keep playing over and over in his mind. When Egon had told Ray the story, Ray had demised that she was Egon's sister that his mother had miscarried when he was six and a half, but something about that statement didn't sit right with him. There was something of the conversation with his father that was missing from his memory.

Egon didn't remember all of what had happened to him, but he did remember a white room and his father being there. He remembered his fourth great-grandfather Eli and a young girl. He remembered hearing music and Eden's voice. But something was missing and no matter how hard Egon thought about it he couldn't bring the memory to the surface. Like a dream that fades in the morning light.

Out of the corner of Egon's eye he saw a picture of Eden. Egon looked to see an old newspaper in a magazine rack to his left. There was a picture of Eden dressed as Mimi on the front cover. Egon reached over and pulled the newspaper from the magazine rack. It was the same paper that Dean Williams had brought to his office that Wednesday morning. The paper was still there in his office as Egon had never had time to read it. Unfolding the newspaper Egon could see that the headline read.

"_**Modern Day Knight In Shining Armor."**_

Egon read the article.

**Miss Eden Parnell enjoyed a great opening night performance of La Boheme just hours ago. An unknown chorus girl from Moab, Utah, where her father is a Forest Ranger for Arches National Park, Miss Parnell attended Southern Utah State College under the tutelage of Fred C. Adams and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre.**

**Miss Parnell auditioned for the Metropolitan Opera Theater in the fall of 1987 and was accepted in January of the following year having been with the Nevada Opera Theater Company since her graduation from Southern Utah State College.**

**Miss Parnell's road to fame started when Maestro Neeme Jarvi, the conductor of the New York Philharmonics, gave the part of 'A Voice From Heaven' from the opera Don Carlos to her to sing. Miss Parnell's voice is a very hypnotic voice which draws you into the character she is portraying.**

**Miss Parnell was a 'cover' for many 'Met' performances but never got to sing the roles on stage until this year in January when Renee Fleming was out with the flu. It was the 'Mets' second week of the production of "Carmen". Miss Parnell's rendition of Habanera left this writer with Goosebumps. While other opera singers slur and blend the French language together when singing, not so with Miss Parnell. Every syllable and word could be clearly understood, especially the second verse where the sixteenth notes can be tricky to sing in the two/four time signature. Truly an Angel's voice was heard that night.**

**Miss Parnell's portrayal of Mimi was no exception. To this writer Mimi was a heart wrenching tale of lost love and betrayal. In Act III Miss Parnell brought tears to my eyes as she sang of her love for Rodolfo and brought the curtain down with a standing ovation. This has never happened before to this writer and in the middle of an opera too boot. A chill went down my spine as Miss Parnell embraced Rodolfo at the end of the act crying her heart out. And believe me when I say it only got better from there. The last act, where Mimi dies, brought pain to everyone's hearts. The audience didn't want to see Mimi die. Mimi loved Rodolfo, even after everything he put her through, but alas we can't rewrite operas or can we?**

**After the performance Miss Parnell was greeted to a overly anxious and pushy crowd at the stage door where this writer went to try and get an interview with her. Miss Parnell had with her a tall, good-looking man dressed in a black tuxedo trying to keep order to the crowd and protect Miss Parnell from the crowds pushing in upon her. At first this writer thought that he was a body guard hired by the 'Met' but upon further studying I noticed he was not. I don't know who this man was but he cared very deeply for Miss Parnell. You could see it in his eyes. And in return Miss Parnell cared for this man too. Perhaps this man was her older brother or boyfriend. We may never know. **

**Whoever he was he protected Miss Parnell with his own body and dare I say it, his life. Not a lot of people will do that these days. We have to go back to the medieval times to find our Knight who comes to the aid of a woman in a gallant and courteous manner for this to happen. Our Knight would typically perform all his deeds in the name of a lady, and invoke her name before performing an exploit. This modern day Knight brought to this writer's mind the story of The Faerie Queen. St. George is sent to rescue Una's parent's kingdom from a dragon. The dragon was laying waste to their land and had frightened the people away from their homes. For three days St. George fought the dragon and finally slain him in the end. Una's parents gave St. George gifts for slaying the dragon but St. George gave them back. He didn't want earthly gifts. He had sworn his service to the Fairy Queen, however Una's father, the King, had promised that any Knight who slew the dragon would have Una for his wife. When Una appeared before St. George she was dressed in a lily-white gown that shimmered like silver. Never had the Knight seen her so beautiful. Whenever he looked at the brightness of her sunshiny face, his heart melted with pleasure.**

**Such was the case with this man. His protection was done out of love for another human being. It clearly shown in his eyes and face as I watched him look out for Miss Parnell's safety. As Sophocles stated: One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life. That word is love. One leaves behind a little of oneself at any hour, any place. This Knight left behind an unselfish, loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another human being in this writer's heart. Through his actions I developed a strong and personal attachment to this man. Love is not merely a feeling but it is also actions, commitments to, and adherence to one another, sustained over a long duration. My heart went out to him when he was hurt in the end before security arrived, but in doing so he saved the life of an opera singer so that she could perform for us again. Ever has it been said that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation, when I was separated from this man. I may never see him again and want to say one thing to him. Well done brave Knight. Well done.**

Egon folded the newspaper up and placed it gently down onto the coffee table. So that was why Dean Williams had brought the paper to him that morning. Egon thought that Dean Williams was bringing it to him because of the reviews for Eden. He had seen her picture on the front page, but being busy with work had never opened it. Egon now knew that he loved Eden, beyond the shadow of a doubt. Part of it was his father asking for forgiveness from him. That had started the ball rolling in the right direction. The conclusion was this newspaper article. Love as the world saw it was a mammalian drive of lust and attraction. The writer of this article saw love as being based on mutual friendship and shared interests. Love speaks out for justice and protests when harm is being done. Love points out the consequences of hurting oneself or others. Love allows room for anger, grief, or pain to be expressed and released.

Love is a force of nature and in the end love strikes like lightening, unpredictable and irrefutable. Love does not come with conditions, stipulations, addendums, or codes. Like the sun, love radiates independently of our fears and desires. Egon's desire was for his father to love him. Having found this out had set Egon's troubled soul free. It had enhanced the relationship he had with his father. The history of the world had witnessed hatred and brutality in relationships. Vigo the Carpathian had drawn on this and had the slime putting suggestions of hating each other into one's mind. Sibling rivalry, spouses and friends betraying each other, killing one another was Vigo's strength. Egon, Ray, Peter, and Winston would have to understand each other, be there for each other, and remember that no one was perfect if they were to battle Vigo soon.

Egon looked up from the coffee table as he saw a pair of blue legs stop before him. It was Peter and Winston dressed in blue scrubs.

"So Peter," Ray said as he released Egon's right thigh, "did you get your potholder done?"

"No." Peter replied. "I was trying to finish it before lunch or before I kill someone around here."

"So, Ray do you think that all those predictions about the world coming to an end in the 1990's are true?" Winston asked.

"1997!" a voice said behind Winston with certainty.

Winston and Ray turned around to see a man in a chair clutching a black stuffed animal in the shape of a dog.

"Who told you that?" Peter asked.

"My dog told me." the man replied holding up the stuffed animal.

"What kind of dog?" Winston asked pointing his finger at the stuffed animal that the man held out to him.

"Labrador." the man replied pulling the stuffed animal back to his chest.

Peter turned around and rolled his eyes. He needed to get out of here before he became as crazy as the patients here.

"Wasn't Doctor Levine supposed to free us by now?" Peter asked Ray offering him his hand.

Ray took Peter's hand and stood up from the couch where he was sitting.

"He's in a meeting about Doctor Murray." Ray said as he released Peter's hand. "Probably still there, just give him some time."

"Well let's hope after lunch he springs us." Peter told Ray. "If not you guys might as well start forwarding my mail here as I slowly go NUTS!"

"Likewise Peter." Ray said raising his right hand.

"Come on Egon," Winston said, "let's get something to eat for lunch."

Winston and Ray slowly helped Egon to his feet. Peter and Ray led the way out of the dayroom to the cafeteria as Egon followed with Winston by his side.

"How are you doing today?" Winston asked Egon, concern in his voice.

"Same. Still tired and sore but I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Why?"

"Because I got to see my father one last time."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Charlie sat at his desk. He couldn't believe what had just happened to him. The Hospital Administrator and Hospital Board members, who ran Parkview Medical Hospital, had just finished meeting with him. Charlie knew that this meeting was going to take place. Doctor Murray had been relieved of his duties at the hospital and that left a vacancy. Charlie knew that the Hospital Administrator would have to hire another doctor to take over the position as Chief Psychiatrist, but what Charlie found out during that meeting was that the Hospital Board and Administrator wanted him.

"Me!?" he questioned them.

"Yes, you! We have seen your work and the numbers speak for themselves. You, Doctor Levine, have placed your patients first and have bent over backwards to see to it that they are well taken care off. You try to get them off medication when you can and get them out into society. The suicide rate for your patients is at an all time record low. We want you Doctor Levine to be our new Chief Psychiatrist of the psychiatric ward at Parkview Medical Hospital."

"But I'm still a resident."

"If I remember correctly it's your senior year as resident. We need you. We need you to instill your knowledge to the nurses, orderlies, and other doctors here. Show them how to treat people with kindness and compassion. We've watched you and believe you are the person to fill this role for us, so please join us."

Charlie couldn't turn them down and had said yes, and yet here he sat. The Hospital Administrator told Charlie that he would move his stuff into a bigger office on Tuesday. Charlie had told him no. He liked the small office he was in. He didn't want to be seen as someone above his class. A 'know-it-all' his mother had told him when he was young. "Just because the Jones's have a bigger house and better car than us, doesn't make them any better." How right she had been. Knowledge was power, not wealth.

Charlie rose from his desk. The first thing he needed to do was release Egon and his friends. It was lunch time and they would most likely be in the cafeteria. Charlie crossed to his office door, running a hand down his face as he did so. He needed a shave and a shower but he could do that later. He had been up for over 24 hours. Late on Saturday morning, after leaving the hospital for a couple of hours to go to Columbia University Medical Center to check on Samantha and her mother, Charlie had returned. His patient Greg was no better and in fact worse. Between dealing with him, Ray, Egon, calling Egon's mother Katherine to let her know what happened to her son, Doctor Murray, and calling Doctor Paul Stringham so that he could tell Eden where her fiancé was, Greg had finally managed to kill himself in the end.

Charlie placed his hand on the handle of the door but didn't open it yet as the memory of Greg filtered back to him. It had been during the changing of the staff and no one had mentioned to the new staff coming in that Greg was on a suicide watch. That was one of the things that Charlie would change. A nurse had heard Greg's blood curling screams and went to find him on the floor of the bathroom in his room, blood all around, with broken glass from the bathroom mirror on the floor next to him. As she held Greg's wrists tight, trying to stop the blood, Charlie had been paged to Greg's room. Charlie placed tourniquets on both of Greg's arms trying to get the blood flow to stop but to no avail.

"It hurts Doctor Levine." Greg said to him, tears in his eyes.

"I know Greg. Just hold on. I'm going to take care of you." Charlie told him as he hollered out the door for a gurney so that they could move Greg upstairs and into surgery.

Charlie hung his head as he remembered Greg's hands shaking uncontrollably and his fingers cramping and seizing up into claws. It had been the most horrendous and morbid thing that Charlie had ever seen in his time as a doctor. Greg had cut deep, severing both the basilic and cephalic veins in both of his wrists. He needed a vascular surgeon to repair the damage. Greg was semiconscious when Charlie had gotten him onto the gurney and had started Greg on his journey upstairs. The vascular surgeon was on call and waiting. Charlie held Greg's left arm as he knew he couldn't hold his hands. That would be just too painful for the young man, as they traveled in the elevator up to the third floor.

"Doctor Levine." Greg had quietly choked out. He was fading fast.

"Right here Greg. Just a few more minutes."

"Doctor Levine. The 'pink water' is happy now. It wants me but…" he trailed off.

"Greg!" Charlie shouted as he tried to take his hand away and pull his stethoscope out of his lab coat's pocket, only to find that Greg had grabbed his hand to stop him.

"I don't want to go." were the last words Greg choked out to him.

Charlie felt a tear fall from his eye as he raised his head, wiped his eyes, and opened the door to his office to go and set Egon and Ray free. Charlie had told Ray what had happened to Greg this morning before he had gone into the meeting. Ray was shocked and saddened at the same time. Greg was Charlie's third patient that he had lost since he had become a resident. Charlie knew that it wouldn't be his last either, but at least Egon was alive. That made up for it in the end Charlie had told himself. Charlie had removed Egon from his intravenous fluids this morning and had allowed him access to the dayroom. Ray had led the way for Egon knowing all too well the layout of the hospital. Charlie knew that he would have to remove Egon's central line that was still in him before his friend was released. Egon had never once complained, even when the Hospital Administrator had come to question Egon about Doctor Murray on Saturday afternoon.

"I will understand if you want to file charges against Doctor Murray for the way that he treated you." the Administrator had said to Egon.

"No. I don't want to file charges." Egon told the man with Ray by his side. "I want to thank him."

"Thank him? For almost killing you? I don't understand?"

"Doctor Murray's actions of sedating me caused me to see my father again and make amends with him. So therefore I want to thank him."

"Oh, there you are Doctor Levine." the nurse on duty called to him as Charlie walked down the hallway. "There is a man and a woman here to see you. They are at the front desk."

Charlie knew it was most likely Doctor Stringham and Grace Simone. Paul had said that he and Grace would come over on Sunday afternoon to give him a hand so that he could get some much needed rest. Why didn't she just let them in? Charlie questioned to himself. All they had to do was show their identification badges to get in.

"It's just Doctor Stringham and Nurse Simone from St. Luke's Hospital here to help me out for the day. Please let them inside." Charlie replied as he continued down the hallway towards the cafeteria.

"No it's not them. It's a Miss Eden Parnell and a Mr. Louis Tully."

Charlie stopped dead in his tracks. Eden? What was she doing here? Charlie turned around and headed the other way. Egon and Ray could wait for a few moments. Eden showing up here was personal. Charlie knew that Mr. Tully was the "Ghostbusters" accountant but that was all. Why would he come? Charlie opened the locked door to see Eden and Mr. Tully standing there before the front desk. Mr. Tully had a large carry-on bag with him. What was going on?

"Doctor Levine." Eden said as she ran into his arms. "How is Egon? Paul said that he was dead for a while. Is that true?"

Charlie kicked himself for saying anything to Paul but knew that it would have come out in the end.

"Yes Eden," Charlie replied holding her tight, "Egon was dead for eight minutes before I got his heart to start beating on its own again. He is going to be out of commission for at least six weeks while his cracked ribs heal, otherwise he is fine."

Charlie released Eden. "I was just going to release them. Can you wait here for a moment?"

"Yes, Doctor Levine we can." Eden said.

"Here Doctor Levine." Louis Tully said to him handing Charlie the large carry-on bag. "Could you give this to the guys? It has their uniforms inside."

"Sure thing. I'll be right back." Charlie told them, taking the bag, as he turned around and let himself back in through the locked doors.

As Charlie walked down the hallway again towards the cafeteria he could see the sky begin to go dark through the windows. Must be a cloud passing by in front of the sun, Charlie thought. But it wasn't getting light again. What was going on? Opening the door to the cafeteria he saw Ray standing on a table looking out the window.

"This is it boys." Ray said. "It's starting! Shit-storm 2000!"

Two orderlies were trying to get Ray off of the table as Charlie entered the room. Outside the sun was beginning to pull the clouds towards it like a black hole. Turning colors as they went. White, to purple, to blue, to finally black. Ray seemed to know what was going on as an orderly grabbed his leg to get him off of the table.

"Leave him!" Charlie shouted at the man.

The orderly released his hold on Ray's leg and moved away from him as Charlie came over to the table to help Ray down. As Charlie held out his hand to Ray the whole room went dark. This was more than an eclipse of the sun Charlie knew as someone turned on the lights in the cafeteria. Ray's face had an eerie glow to it from what was happening outside. Charlie didn't know what was happening but he knew that Ray and Egon did.

"Doctor Levine you have to get us out of here." Ray said as he took Charlie's outstretched hand and came down from the table.

"I know." Charlie replied handing Ray the large carry-on bag. "Mr. Tully brought these for you. He and Eden are waiting outside. Please follow me."

Charlie turned around to the table where Egon, Winston, and Peter sat. Winston was helping Egon up from his chair as Charlie went to help.

"Eden's here?" Egon questioned Charlie.

"Yes. Come, you can change in my office and Egon," Charlie said, "I need to take your central line out before you go."

"Yea, I guess you do. I would look pretty stupid with that."

Five minutes later found the men walking down the hallway towards the outside world. Charlie unlocked the doors as the men stepped outside and down a few steps. Louis immediately started talking to Peter, a mile a minute about Dana and baby Oscar, as Ray listened on.

"And he took the baby into the carriage, and it levitated away!"

"What did Dana do? Where'd she go?" Peter asked Louis zippering up his tan flight suit.

"I don't know. She said she was going to the museum to get the baby back!" Louis said.

Ray tapped Peter on the arm. "Peter, it all fits!" Ray said using his fingers to start counting off. "Vigo wants in on the 21st century. He needs a human body to inhabit. Little Oscar must be it!"

Winston, behind the two men, joined into the conversation. "Yeah, and I bet we're the only ones who can do anything about it, right?"

"You bet we are!" Ray replied as Peter opened the doors to the outside world.

Charlie watched them go. When Charlie had come back, to his office, with the supplies that he needed to remove Egon's central line, he was shocked to find Egon had changed his clothes too.

"What are you doing?! You need to go home and rest Egon." Charlie said.

"I can't Charlie. The team needs me. I have to do this or else Greg's death will have been for nothing."

Charlie had understood what Egon had said to him as he watched his old instructor get into the white car with Eden by his side. Egon needed to stop what was happening to the city.

"God's Speed my friend" Charlie said as he watched the car pull out of the ambulance bay area to go and save the city once again.


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: Ghostbusters II is owned by Columbia Pictures an written by Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd. I am only borrowing the parts that I need for my story.

Chapter 20

Egon held Eden tight to his right side. He knew she was upset and it wasn't over Ray's driving skills either. When Charlie had removed his central catheter line in his office he had walked Egon out to where Eden was waiting for him.

With worry etched into her beautiful face, Eden had run into Egon's arms as soon as he was clear of the door.

"Oh Egon, Darling. You gave me such a fright." Eden said throwing herself into his outstretched, opened arms.

"Ouch!" Egon hissed, "Watch the ribs."

"Sorry." Eden said pulling back.

"Eden," Charlie told her as he followed them to the outside door. "Remember what I said about Egon's cracked ribs. You are going to have to be careful around the left side of his chest. That's where I cracked his ribs, okay."

"Okay," she replied, "Thanks for taking care of him for me Doctor Levine."

As they left Charlie standing outside the door, in the ambulance bay area, Egon turned towards Eden.

"Eden I'm sorry I couldn't meet up with you on Saturday night and I'm sorry that I missed walking you home from the 'Met' on Friday night too." he said.

"Egon, you're forgiven. Paul told me what happened. I'm just glad that your alive. I don't know what I would have done if I had lost you."

Egon opened the driver's side passenger door for Eden. They would have to sit in the jumper seat facing backwards. Ray's driving was bad enough, but not being able to see where you were going was worse. Egon hoped he wouldn't get sick because of it.

Before Eden climbed into the car Egon held her back. Taking her into his arms he passionately kissed her before he released her.

Placing his face into Eden's hair, Egon whispered into her ear.

"Eden, I love you."

"I love you too." she whispered back.

Wait. What did Egon just say to her? I love you? Yes, he had said it aloud! Eden pulled back from Egon to see a smile upon his face. Just what had happened to him in that hospital? Eden wondered. And now he was speaking the words she thought he would never say aloud to her.

"Egon we have to go." Peter called to him from the right hand side of the car. "Get in or walk!"

Egon climbed inside as Eden followed, shutting the door behind her. Ray placed the car into gear and started to pull away from the hospital. Shouting could be heard outside of the car before Ray turned on the sirens.

"Hey! Wait for me!"

"Did you hear something Ray?" Peter questioned.

"Yeah!" Ray said turning left out of the ambulance bay. "We have everyone don't we?"

Egon looked up to see Louis Tully running after them.

"We forgot Louis." Egon said over the seat back to Ray.

Ray slammed on the breaks giving everyone in the car whiplash. "Oh for crime-a-nee christmas! That man is going to be late for his own wedding!" Ray angrily replied.

Louis quickly ran up to Ecto-1A and pulled open the passenger door on the right hand side of the car. Sliding in beside Egon, Louis barely had time to shut the door before Ray stepped on the accelerator and drove off down the street. Ray turned the corner too fast sending Eden sliding on the seat, next to Egon, and crashing into his right side.

"OUCH!" Egon cried out biting his bottom lip and looking up at the ceiling of Ecto-1A.

"Sorry!" Eden cried out trying to pull herself away from Egon, but he was holding her tight.

"Not your fault. Not your fault." Egon muttered to the ceiling as he held onto Eden.

Egon didn't want to let her go because she would just slid right into him and hurt him again. Also he needed to feel her close to his side after what he had just gone through. Even though Ray had sat by him and held his hand or leg, Egon needed Eden's touch instead. He needed that womanly contact from her much like Iris had needed it from him and Winston.

"Eden." Winston said, "Peter calls that an S.O.B. curve."

"S.O.B.?" Louis asked confused by the term.

"Yeah." Peter said turning around in the front passenger seat. "S.O.B. Stands for Slide Over Baby."

Ray snorted. "Nice one Pete!"

"By the way, how did you get Ecto-1A over here? I thought you don't like to drive." Peter asked Louis.

"Oh, I didn't drive." Louis replied. "Eden drove. I got the car stuck trying to get out of the garage. Ecto-1A is just too big for me."

"Eden you drove this behemoth?" Peter asked surprise in his voice.

"Yes, it's just like my grandfather's combine harvester for wheat back home in Utah, only smaller. I've been driving that harvester since I was twelve."

"They grow wheat in Utah? I thought that Utah was one of the driest states in the nation." Peter said to Eden.

"Second driest state in the nation." Egon pointed out to Peter.

"Yes that's why we rely heavily on irrigation. Something the farmers out here don't do. There can be a drought going on and yet there is a river ten feet away from the field and the farmers don't even think to dig a ditch and supply their crops with the water that they need. They just let the crops die and complain about it." Eden replied becoming angry.

Egon squeezed her hand. This was a touchy subject for her. Sighing she continued.

"Utah grows barley, wheat, dry edible beans, potatoes, onions, and corn." she said.

"Peter," Egon said picking up the conversation, "nationally Utah ranks 2nd in tart cherries, 7th in apricots, 8th in sweet cherries, and 19th in peaches. It's more than just a bunch of red rocks."

"How do you know all this?" Peter asked Egon.

"Books, Peter!" Ray said turning another corner to travel east on Central Park North. "It wouldn't hurt you to open one once in a while. There are a lot more usages for them than paperweights."

"How big is your grandfather's farm Eden?" Winston asked as Ray turned the last corner onto 5th Avenue.

"Grandpa Edward has 669 acres." she replied.

"That's a lot of land." Winston said.

"That's a lot of slime." Ray stated as he pulled Ecto-1A onto the sidewalk of the museum and followed the directions that the police officers were giving to him.

Hundreds of spectators were already there gawking at the museum and cheering them on. Ray stopped Ecto-1A a few feet away from the museum's front steps. As the men got out of the car and walked towards the front doors, they could see that the museum was covered in a pink shell of psycho-reactive slime. Ray thought he heard it calling to him and shook his head to clear it. City workmen and firefighters were trying to cut their way into the museum with blowtorches, jackhammers, power tools, and the 'jaws of life', but they were not even making a dent.

"Looks like a giant upside-down Jell-O mold." Ray said sizing up the situation.

"Man, I hate Jell-O." Winston replied.

"Aw, come on!" Peter retorted, "There's always room for Jell-O!"

"In this case I don't think we should eat it." Egon replied holding the PKE Meter out towards the museum.

The PKE Meter started squealing loudly and then smoke started coming out of the sides. Finally it caught on fire and Egon dropped the instrument onto the ground as a firefighter rushed over to put it out with his fire extinguisher.

"Ray this can't be good." Egon told his friend watching the firefighter as he put the instrument out of its misery.

"What was the reading before the PKE Meter broke?" Ray asked as he and the rest of the men walked back to the car to grab their proton packs.

"Off the scale Ray. It buried the needle." Egon replied as he watched Winston open up the back door of Ecto-1A.

Ray helped Egon on with his proton pack while Winston did the same for Peter. Then the men reversed and helped their partner.

"Egon?" Eden asked concerned for this man of hers.

"Eden," Egon replied taking her arm and turning her towards the crowd that had gathered, "please stay with the crowd. I don't want you to get hurt. This isn't like the court room."

Egon deposited Eden with a police officer who was keeping order to the spectators. Kissing her on her check Egon said, "I love you. Will you marry me?"

Eden giggled. "We're engaged already darling, remember. Or did you forget?" Eden replied holding up her left hand to show Egon, Iris's ring.

"No, I didn't forget." Egon said as he grabbed her left outstretched hand. Squeezing it before he released her hand he said, "I want to be married to you tonight. I can't wait for spring. I can't live without you. Just give me a few minutes to take care of this mess that the city has gotten itself into, okay?"

"Okay."

Egon turned and strode manfully up to join his fellow teammates at the bottom of the steps to the main entrance of the museum. Ray was talking to the Fire Captain.

"Okay, give it a rest, Captain. We'll take it from here."

"Be my guest." the Fire Captain said with a wave of his right hand. "We've been cutting here for an hour. What the hell's going on? Do you know that the Titanic just arrived this morning?"

"Well," Peter replied shrugging his shoulders, "better late than never?"

Egon rolled his eyes at Peter as the city workmen and firefighters put down their tools and fell back behind them.

Egon reached back and pulled his neutron wand off the side of his cyclotron as Ray yelled, "Pull 'em."

"Full neutronas, maser assist." Egon told his teammates adjusting the settings on the wand.

"Ready?" Ray called. "Throw 'em!"

Four bolts of proton energy hit the front doors of the museum but it had no effect on the hardened slime.

"Now what Ray?" Peter called standing next to him on Ray's left side still firing at the museum.

"Song!" Ray yelled back.

Peter turned to Egon on his left. "Song?" he questioned.

Egon started singing in his deep rich tenor voice.

"Cumbaya, milord, Cumbaya."

Ray joined in singing now too.

"Cumbaya, milord, Cumbaya."

Peter saw where this was going and called out to the city workers and firefighters nearby. "All right. Nice and sweet join in." Peter said before he too joined in singing. "Cumbaya, milord, Cumbaya."

Winston and the city workers and firefighters joined in as well.

"Oh, Lord, Cumbaya."

As the city workers, firefighters, and even some of the spectators joined in with the "Ghostbusters" singing the second verse, Ray pulled down his Ecto-goggles that he was wearing to inspect the wall of slime. He saw that they had only managed to open a hole the size of a dime as he shook his head and turned off his neutrona wand.

"Save 'em!" he called to his fellow teammates.

Winston, Peter, and Egon followed suit and turned off their neutrona wands as well. The crowd could be heard booing and hissing at them. Ray turned and walked back to Ecto-1A as Peter, Winston, and Egon followed behind. The spectators were throwing insults their way as the men approached their vehicle.

"C'mon!"

"Aw, Boo Ghostbusters!"

"You suck!"

"Forget it! The Vienna Boys Choir couldn't get through that stuff." Ray said dejected.

"Good effort Ray." Peter replied patting him on the back as Ray placed his head into his hands and laid his head down on the hood of Ecto-1A. "Now what? Should we say supportive, nurturing things to it."

"That slime mold is pulsing with evil Peter." Egon stated. "It would take a tremendous amount of positive energy to crack that shell and I seriously doubt that there's enough goodwill left in this town to do it."

"You know Egon," Ray said raising his head off of Ecto-1A, "I just can't believe things have gotten so bad in this city that there's no way back. I mean, sure, it's dirty, it's crowded, it's polluted, it's noisy and there's people all around who'd just as soon step on your face as look at you. But come on!" Ray said clearly getting excited now. "There's got to be a few sparks of sweet humanity left in this burned-out burg and we just have to figure out a way to mobilize it."

Ray's excitement rubbed off onto Egon.

"Ray's right! We need something that everyone in this town can get behind, we need…" Egon trailed off as his eyes fell upon Ecto-1A's New York State license plate.

That was it! Egon saw a small line drawing of the Statue of Liberty. Bending down to eye level he studied the picture. Yes, he said to himself nodding his head, that could just be what they needed.

"We need a symbol!" Egon finished his thought.

What was Egon looking at on the front of Ecto-1A? Ray wondered as he bent his head to see what Egon was staring at. Looking closely at the license plate Ray saw what Egon was talking about.

"Something that appeals to the best in each and every one of us." Ray said as he joined Egon down on the ground.

"Something good." Egon said as he turned his head towards Ray smiling.

Peter looked at the two men bent down in front of the car on the ground. Had they gone completely nuts? They had spent way too much time in that psychiatric ward at the hospital. Peter took a step forward. What was so interesting to Ray and Egon? He heard Winston next to him now.

"Something decent." Winston said.

Peter cocked his head. All three men were staring at Ecto-1A's license plate. What was so fascinating about a license plate? Then Peter saw it. The Statue of Liberty.

"Something pure." Peter finished as a smile came to his face. Was Ray considering that kinetic test? Peter wondered.

Behind Peter there was a great commotion among the crowd. Peter looked up to see the mayor's limousine pulling towards them with a police escort, sirens blaring.

"Oh, that's just great!" Peter said sarcastically as the car stopped and Jack Hardemeyer and Mayor Lenny Clotch stepped out of the limousine followed by the mayor's bodyguards. "Look what the cat dragged in!" Peter yelled at Mr. Hardemeyer.

Egon and Ray rose up from the ground as Mr. Hardemeyer walked over to them, pointing his finger as he went and shouting at them all.

"Look, I've had it with you four! Get your stuff together, get back into that clown car and get out of here! This is a city matter. Everything's under control."

"Oh, you think so, Budgie-brain?" Ray replied stepping forward to confront Mr. Hardemeyer.

Ray felt himself being stopped. Looking down he saw Egon's hand on his arm. Egon shook his head at Ray and inclined his head towards Peter. Ray was mad and he had been ready to give Mr. Hardemeyer a piece of his mind as he looked towards Peter. Peter's face was red as he took over telling Mr. Hardemeyer off.

"Well Mr. Hardemeyer," Peter spat at him, "I've got news for you. You've got Dracula's brother-in-law in there and he's got my girlfriend and her baby. Around about midnight, TONIGHT…" Peter emphasized the word, "when you're partying uptown, this guy's going to come to life and start doing amateur head transplants. And I do hope that you're his first choice!"

"Are you telling me there are people trapped in there?" Mayor Clotch asked Peter.

"Yes." Ray replied. "And that's just round one of what is going to happen to this city if we don't do something by midnight. Mr. Mayor you're going to go down in history as the man who let New York get sucked down into the tenth level of hell."

Mayor Clotch stopped to consider the situation. He started pacing in front of the "Ghostbusters" as his principal aide Jack Hardemeyer looked on. He definitely didn't want to be known in history as the mayor who let New Yorkers down in a crisis.

"Fiorello LaGuardia was right." the Mayor said aloud to no one in particular. "I have to hold myself responsible for what happens to this city."

Egon elbowed Ray in his side and smiled. Ray smiled back. He had heard what the Mayor said. At least one ghost was on their side today.

Mayor Clotch turned towards the Fire Captain. "Can you get into that museum?" he asked.

"No, we've tried. Maybe if I had a nuclear warhead and that's a big maybe." the Fire Captain replied.

Mayor Clotch then turned his attention towards Peter.

"You know why all these thing are happening?" he asked.

"We tried to tell you Friday night, but Mr. Hard-Head over there packed us off to the Looney bin." Peter told the Mayor pointing a finger at Mr. Hardemeyer.

"This is preposterous!" Mr. Hardemeyer screamed at Peter his face turning bright red. "You can't seriously believe all this mumbo-jumbo! It's the twentieth Century, for crying out loud!"

Jack Hardemeyer walked up the steps of the museum still shouting viciously at Peter.

"Look, mister. I don't know what this stuff is or how you got it all over the museum, but you had better get it off and I mean RIGHT NOW!"

Egon and Ray watched as Mr. Hardemeyer got closer and closer to the slime with each step.

"Come to me!" the slime sang to Mr. Hardemeyer. "Come to me!"

Ray turned his head towards Egon. Egon nodded. He heard the slime too. Egon saw Mr. Hardemeyer make a fist and pull it back.

Raising his hand Egon yelled at Mr. Hardemeyer, "I wouldn't do that!"

But Mr. Hardemeyer wasn't listening. Mr. Hardemeyer pounded his fist into the wall of slime. Suddenly his eyes opened wide in surprise. He was stuck.

"Help me!" he hollowed, but it was too late.

The "Ghostbusters" and Mayor Clotch watched in amazement and horror as Mr. Hardemeyer's fist went through the slime wall and then his entire body was sucked slowly through the slime curtain complete with slurping sounds and a loud belch at the end. Only one shoe of Mr. Hardemeyer's remained on the ground outside the museum.

"Bless you." Peter called to the slime's belch.

Mayor Clotch was petrified as he turned to Peter with a white face.

"Okay, what do you need from me?" he asked.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Peter stood on the deck, at the bow of the ferry, as the spray from the Hudson River was cast up from the water. He shook his head. They were going to be cutting it close. Looking at his watch, for the third time, it read 9:55 p.m. It had taken them way to long to collect the supplies that they needed. It also didn't help their situation that there were ghosts, destruction, and looting going on in the city and Egon, along with Winston, had almost been arrested when the pair had gone to Columbia University that afternoon.

Egon had taken Winston and Eden to Columbia University's Campus to collect some speakers and wires for their project. They had stopped at Egon's studio apartment first to grab the keys for the Schermerhorn Building and Egon's office. Egon had to pick up his negative calibration test meter and the Giga Meter he had made also.

As Egon, Winston, and Eden were loading up the limousine that the mayor had loaned them, the campus police had stopped the trio. The only one who had any identification on them was Eden. Egon and Winston didn't have anything. The whole group had to wait around while the New York City Police and President Michael Sovern of Columbia University was called.

After two hours of questing by the police, President Sovern finally showed up. He told the police that Egon was a faculty member and that if he needed to borrow things from the University that he could. The trio was finally released and sent on their way. Or so they thought.

Because of the damage, looting, ghost sightings, and traffic jams in certain areas of the city, it had taken Egon and Winston until six o'clock to get downtown to the firehouse. Eden had been left uptown at her apartment. Egon had told her it wasn't safe to go with him when she had insisted. Mayor Clotch had promised the "Ghostbusters" that a ferry and pilot would be waiting for them at the dock of Battery Park.

While at the firehouse, Ray and Egon had put the finishing touches on the slime blowers while Winston and him had transferred the equipment from the Mayor's limousine to the back of Ecto-1A. Ray and Egon had insisted on taking four other lead lined slime containers that they had made as well. Ray even took Peter's game controller from his Nintendo Entertainment System. Between Ray and Egon they had taken the main control circuitry and cobbled it together with other items to make the controls to operate the Statue of Liberty, they hoped. Ray had promised to buy Peter another game controller when they were done.

Peter sighed. It had been a tight fit of the equipment into the back of Ecto-1A and then the drive down to Battery Park was a nightmare. With traffic at a stand still and ghosts chasing people out of theaters and down the streets, Ray had to navigate tight one-way streets and frightened people to even get to Battery Park. They had made it to Battery Park and had found the ferry that the mayor had promised, but no pilot. While Ray, Egon, and Winston transferred the equipment from the car to the ferry Peter had went looking for the pilot and had returned empty handed. When Peter told the other members of his team the bad news Egon said that he could steer the ferry for them.

"Ferries and boats are all the same Peter." Egon said, "This one is just bigger than the 'Dive' boat that my grandparents had in Ohio when I was little."

"You scuba dive?" Peter questioned as he followed Egon upstairs to the helm.

"No. I only free dive." Egon replied as he turned over the engine while Ray and Winston were untying the lines. "I don't believe in compressed air."

Peter watched as Egon called out to Ray to leave the forward fender and bow spring line attached. Peter didn't know what Egon was talking about. He figured you needed to remove all the lines from the ferry. Egon explained to Peter that since the current was pushing the ferry towards the dock you couldn't just 'cast off' and leave. You had to do some extra planning. The bow spring line would keep the ferry from moving forward and allow the stern to pivot away from the dock, while the forward fender would cushion the bow of the ferry against the dock.

Egon turned the rudder in the direction necessary to push the stern away from the dock and shifted into forward at idle speed. Slowly, the stern swung away from the dock. When Egon saw that they were clear of all obstacles and other boat traffic he called to Ray to cast off the spring line. Ray cast off the last line as Egon slowly backed away from the dock. When he was safely away, Egon shifted the ferry forward and idled away from the dock. Once clear of the dock Ray stowed the lines and brought in the last fender so that they would not be in the way or pose a tripping hazard. Peter left Egon to steer the ferry as he made his way down the stairs to the front or bow of the ferry. Standing there on the deck, both hands on the railing, Peter had thought about Dana and Oscar as the ferry sped across the water towards Liberty Island.

Peter looked at his watch again. It was now ten o'clock. They had another five minutes to go before they reached the island. Peter dropped his head to the deck trying to hold back the tears. He had let Dana down. He was supposed to protect her and here she was a prisoner of Vigo's along with her baby. The hurt he felt in his heart was more than he could bear. He wanted Dana back and when he thought that he was finally getting her back this happened to him. He now knew, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that no matter what happened he was going to be there for Dana. Oscar was going to be sacrificed and he couldn't let that happen. If only he had listened to his inner voice when he had first been going out with Dana and hadn't left her, Oscar would be his. His biological child, but he had missed that chance.

Peter raised his head up. Ahead of him was the Statue of Liberty. A gift to the United States from the people of France, "Lady Liberty" was a robed female figure representing "Libertas", the Roman goddess of freedom, who bore a torch and a tabula ansata (a tablet evoking the law). A single tear slid down Peter's face as his emotions finally got the better of him. Oscar was going to die and he couldn't do anything about it right now. Secretly he liked that kid. He just hoped that Ray and Egon's plan was going to work. Peter heard footsteps behind him and quickly wiped his face with his left hand. Ray came up to stand beside him on the deck.

The two men stood in silence looking at the statue before Ray finally spoke softly.

"_Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,_

_With conquering limbs astride from land to land;_

_Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand_

_A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame_

_Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name_

_Mother of Exiles." _

Peter narrowed his eyes and turned his head to his right. What was Ray talking about? Ray wasn't looking at him. He was looking at the blue-green classic statue. Peter turned towards the statue that was looming larger and larger the closer they got to it. Ray continued.

"_From her beacon-hand_

_Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command_

_The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame."_

Peter heard footsteps behind him as Winston came to stand on his left side. Still starring at the Statue of Liberty, Peter could see her stoic face and her crown with its halo and spikes like that of the sun. Her right foot was raised as if she was constantly on the move, a broken shackle and chain lay at her feet. Now Ray's voice rose in volume.

"_Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she_

_With silent lips." _

What had gotten Ray so worked up? Peter wondered. It was just a statue. There was nothing remarkable about it. Now he heard Winston join in with Ray.

"_Give me your tired, your poor,_

_Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,_

_The wretched refuse of your teeming shore._

_Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,_

_I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"_

Peter had heard those words before. Now he knew what Ray was talking about. The words were a sonnet by Emma Lazarus entitled "The New Colossus". His mother had read this sonnet to Peter before she had passed away. She had cried at the end although Peter didn't know why at the time. It was a stupid sonnet after all. Something that he didn't understand was women and poetry.

Now he realized what Ray and Winston were all worked up about. The statue. An icon of freedom from tyranny and oppression, a welcoming signal to immigrants arriving from abroad, a symbol of hope to the outcasts and downtrodden of the world. A very powerful symbol that not only represented democracy but also symbolized American independence and the end of all types of servitude and oppression. Her forever-lit torch of fire was symbolic for knowledge and bringing light to the people.

Peter turned towards Ray. Ray's face was lit up in a smile. Yes, Peter realized, they could do this. They could bring the downfall of Vigo and save Oscar's life. The Statue of Liberty would embody a wide range of meanings and emotions in everyone's lives. They could use "Lady Liberty" to get the people of New York to forget about their grief, horror, and rage. Peter now felt something else stirring in his heart. Hope. That is what Ray and Egon had said that they needed back at the museum. They needed positive energy. They needed a feeling that what is wanted can be had and that events will turn out for the best. They needed hope.

As Winston turned and left Peter's side Ray placed a hand onto his right shoulder.

"We'll get her back Peter." Ray said to him. "Just believe."

Peter nodded his head as he turned and followed Ray to the stern of the ferry. Egon was reducing the speed of the ferry. Peter passed by Winston who was placing the bow fenders over the side as Ray did the same for the ones on the stern. Soon the ferry was coming into the dock as Winston tossed the lines to Ray, who had jumped off, to bring the ferry alongside. Egon shut off the engine and exited the helm to help his friends.

"Told you Peter," Egon said in passing to help Ray on shore, "just like my grandparents boat. A piece of cake."

With the city skyline at their backs the "Ghostbusters" looked up at the Statue of Liberty looming above them. Egon and Peter stood in the middle with Ray and Winston on the outside. Ray and Winston sported the new slime blowers that Egon and Ray had built. To Peter's eye it was a makeshift backpack consisting of tanks, hoses, nozzles, and an abundance of gauges, valves, and regulators. Then again he couldn't complain. His proton pack was just the same. An odd array of items that Ray and Egon had tossed together. But the end result was the same. The equipment worked and it worked well. Now it was the maiden voyage for the slime blowers. Peter hid a sly smile from his teammates as he thought about the statue before him.

"Kind of makes you wonder, doesn't it?" he said.

"Wonder what Peter?" Winston asked him.

"If she's naked under that toga." Peter replied as Egon turned his face towards Peter to give him a disapproving scowl.

Peter turned his face to his left as Egon stared down on him. Peter just shrugged his shoulders as he continued his thought.

"She's French, you know." he finished.

"Peter there's nothing under that toga but 225 tons of iron and steel." Egon said shaking his head as he bent down and picked up a auditorium size speaker at his feet.

Egon's chest and back hurt him but he didn't say anything to his teammates. They were all concerned about the situation at hand already and he didn't want them worried about him as well. Egon didn't know if this was going to work or not. The statue was a lot bigger than what Ray and him had experimented on. Still, they had to try he thought.

"I hope we have enough stuff to do the job Egon." Ray said, worry in his voice.

"Only one way to find out Ray." Peter said as he took a step forward. "Ready, Teddy?"

Ray, Winston, and Egon followed Peter as he stepped through the doors and into the pedestal of the statue.

Peter and Egon worked on wrapping the wiring that Egon had borrowed from Columbia around the inside frame work of the statue. Egon pondered as he attached a speaker to the wires. "Lady Liberty" projected as a woman of nobility with an indomitable resolve. Truly, the symbol of freedom to millions around the world had been majestically presented. But a different scenario was visible inside.

The serene, almost elegant exterior, failed to match the harmonious clutter of various structural components that resembled more of a skeleton made of metal. Inside, the Statue of Liberty symbolized brutal strength because of the jumble of crisscrossing wrought iron steel members that helped to support the massive structure. The central metal stairs were patterned after a helical spring that looked more like the small intestines of a giant mammal or Egon's slinky from long ago. Egon smiled. He knew it wasn't the intention of the sculptor, Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, for the statue to look like this. But a huge structure, such as this one, needed proper structural components to withstand the effects of the natural elements. Help was found through Alexander Gustave Eiffel, a Structural Engineer, and together Bartholdi and Eiffel designed the structural elements inside the statue.

Bartholdi and Eiffel devised a square tower like structure with four giant posts with horizontal and diagonal web members of wrought iron with a central circular staircase. From the tower emanated metal webs that held in place sheets of copper plates, that clad the exterior of the monument. Egon finished up wiring the speaker for sound as he called out to Ray.

"Got it. Ready with the speakers, Ray. Are the slime blowers ready?" Egon asked coming down from his perch.

"Internal audio, set. Internal electric, set." Ray called out to Egon.

"Slime blower, primed and set." Winston said to Egon as he came to stand before him and Ray.

Peter came up behind Egon to stroke the side of Winston's plasma discharge port of his slime blower.

"Ooh. Good slime, good slime." Peter cooed at it. "Winston, is our slime in a good mood tonight?" he questioned.

"I sure hope so Peter. She's a lot bigger than a toaster." Winston replied looking up towards the crown of the statue.

Egon nodded his head and placed a hand onto Winston's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. He was thinking the same thing too. They had better pull this off, Egon thought as he handed Peter a microphone.

"It's all yours, Peter." Egon said as he released Winston's shoulder and started walking up the stairs towards the top of the crown.

"Thank you." Peter said as he turned on the microphone and spoke into it. "Testing, one, two, testing." Peter said as his voice echoed inside the statue.

At least the speakers worked, Ray thought as he listened to Peter talking as he climbed the stairs after Egon.

"Hey, how many of you people out here are a national monument, raise your hand, please. Oh, hello, miss!" Peter said leaving Ray to stand there and shake his head at him.

Winston turned towards Ray and nodded his head. "Hey, let's frost it." he said.

Ray took a cigar from his top pocket and placed in between his teeth. He hadn't had a cigarette or cigar in years. Whenever he had been nervous in the past he had smoked one. Ray was nervous now but he wasn't going to light the cigar. He had stopped smoking when he was forced to do so in the hospital after his attempted suicide. Now, however, he thought he needed one. Just holding the cigar between his teeth had calmed his nerves. Ray looked towards Winston and held up his plasma discharge port that he held in his hands.

"It's slime time." Ray said as Winston raised his plasma discharge port up and the two men clicked the ends together.

Ray and Winston turned their slime blowers on and started hosing the inside of the statue with the psycho-reactive pink slime. Winston worked on one side as Ray worked on the other side. They only needed a thin layer to make this work. Ray smiled as he worked. Think positive thoughts Egon had told him. Ray watched the pink slime adhere to the sides of the copper plates. It just had to work.

"Beautiful!" Ray said to no one in particular as Winston and him finished up the floor they were working on and climbed higher into the statue.

Ray was busy plugging the main cable into the Nintendo game controls and set the whole thing down onto the rim of the window in the statue's crown section. Peter and Winston were there with him as Peter taped a Sony Walkman to the iron steel framework of the statue. Winston held the speaker cable for Peter. When Peter was done taping the Sony Walkman in place he took the speaker cable from Winston and plugged it into the Walkman. Winston nodded his head to Peter to let him know he was ready. Peter analogized with a nod of his own.

"Are we ready Ray?" Peter asked his friend.

"Pilot controls ready." Ray called out looking around for Egon.

Egon was the last one up to the crown. Where was that man? Ray wondered as he looked back down the stairs the team had come up from. Ray knew that Egon's back and chest were hurting him when he had passed him on the spiral staircase on his way up to the crown. Egon had been taking a so called 'break' when Ray had found him on the last of the staggered platforms on his way to the top.

Climbing the 354 stairs with a proton pack on his back had proven too much for Egon's tired body. He had started up the stairs before everyone else but had failed about three-fourths of the way up. Peter had passed him first when Egon was about a quarter of the way up. When Peter had stopped to see what the problem was Egon had told him he was just catching his breath and to go on. Egon was catching his breath but it really hurt him to do so. Charlie said he needed rest but he couldn't afford that luxury right now. There wasn't any time for Egon to be selfish. He needed to put others first.

Winston had passed Egon next by the time Egon was half-way up. There was no air conditioning or heating in the Statue of Liberty and very little ventilation. The cold winter weather that Egon was experiencing sent a bite into his already overworked body. Even though Egon considered himself in somewhat reasonable shape the last two days had taken their toll on him.

"You okay man?" Winston asked stopping in front of Egon on the platform.

"I'm fine Winston. Go on. I'll be along in a minute." Egon lied to him as he waved Winston on his way.

But Egon hadn't followed in a minute, more like five. Egon had finally made it up the small narrow steps to the last platform where he had almost collapsed. He was beginning to get a phobia about stairs. First it had been at Dana's apartment building with Gozer, then it had happened at Eden's apartment building, and now it was happening at the Statue of Liberty. Back at Dana's apartment, those many years ago, when Peter had told Egon that he was going to throw up when they reached the twentieth floor was how Egon was feeling right now. Egon was never one with a fear of heights or claustrophobia, but now he was experiencing both. He also had a feeling about slipping and falling down the stairs. Clinging to the railing of the platform Egon had emptied the contents of his stomach next to him on the platform. That is how Ray had found him.

"Egon?" Ray asked concerned for his pale faced teammate.

"Ray." Egon said looking up. "I'm now the last one, correct?"

"Yes." Ray answered reaching out to help Egon up from the floor of the platform where Egon had been sitting. "We need to go. If this doesn't work I don't know what else we can do to save this city."

Egon let Ray help him up. As Egon stood up he felt dizzy and closed his eyes.

"Vertigo?" Ray asked as he pulled his friend forward away from the railing.

"Something like that." Egon replied, with his eyes still closed, as he let Ray guide him towards the last set of stairs in the cramped quarters. "Look Ray I don't know if I can make it. You guys go ahead without me. I'll join you when I can."

Ray didn't like seeing his adoptive brother this way. He was concerned about Egon and didn't want to leave him in his condition. What would happen if Egon lost his balance and fell backwards down the stairs? Ray shuttered not wanting to think about it, but he knew that Egon didn't want Ray or the others to be worried about him.

Egon knew what Ray was thinking as he opened his eyes and placed his right hand on Ray's face. Ray wasn't going to go without Egon and they couldn't do that. Ray had to pilot the statue across the Hudson River and up the streets of New York so that they could save Dana and Oscar. There was only one way to get Ray moving and that was for him to follow Ray up those stairs. Egon took a deep breath, that hurt, and called his friend by his full name.

"Raymond." Egon told him. "I'm right behind you. Now get going."

Egon took his hand away from Ray's face but before he could drop it Ray grabbed a hold of it and squeezed tight.

"Egon, I…" Ray started to say before Egon cut him off.

"I know Ray." Egon replied giving Ray's hand a squeeze before letting go.

Ray nodded and moved up the last fifty steps to the top of the statue, his sentence left unspoken. As Egon tried his best to follow.

Now Ray stood waiting for him and he was nowhere to be had. Did Egon fall down those steps like Ray had imagined in his mind? Was he hurt, or worse, was he dead again? Ray shook his head no. He couldn't think about any of that as he turned towards Peter.

"It's all yours, Pete." Ray said checking his watch.

"Aren't we going to wait for Egon?" Peter asked Ray.

"Peter," Egon's voice could be heard coming up the stairs, "it's getting late. It's almost midnight. Let's go."

Ray jumped at the sound of Egon's voice from below. He had made it! A smile lit up Ray's face as Peter turned on the microphone.

"Here's something off the request line from Liberty Island. We're going to squeeze some New Year's juice from ya, Big Apple!" Peter said as he hit the play button on the Sony Walkman.

Soon the music "Higher and Higher" boomed from the huge speakers down below, amplified by the statue's vast hollow interior. Nothing was happening as Egon pulled himself along the last couple of feet to stand next to Ray. Ray nodded at him as Egon looked out the window of the statue's crown. The view of the New York skyline was beautiful to behold.

Off to Egon's left were the twin towers of the World Trade Center buildings, standing tall and proud against the black backdrop of the night sky. Beyond that was the Empire State Building and further uptown was where they needed to go, Central Park and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Jackie Wilson's voice boomed up from below, out of the crown, and over Liberty Island but still noting was happening.

"Oh please work." Egon pleaded to Ray.

Egon hung his head and closed his eyes. The last steps had been the hardest to climb. Egon had almost given up until he thought of Eden. What would happen to her if they were not successful tonight? Would Vigo make her his slave? Or would he kill her like he had killed many others before?

Egon knew that Vigo ruled with an iron fist and used his powers for evil. Vigo had killed hundreds of people in the past who had rose up against him. Would Egon be able to defeat such a powerful magician and genocidal madman? Egon's theory had been right. Vigo was using the slime to boost his powers. He was channeling the people's negative emotions that he needed for the manifestation of his army of spirits that were terrorizing New York City right now. And although the slime granted Vigo the power he needed, he could not regain a physical form until he possessed Oscar. Then Vigo could be reborn and freely rule the world once again.

Egon looked up and opened his eyes. Looking Ray's way, he wondered why something wasn't happening by now. Ray and him had the slime positively charged now with Jackie Wilson's singing but… Egon's thoughts trailed off. Ray looked worried too.

"Maybe we just need to give the slime some more time?" Ray suggested to Egon as suddenly the torch that "Lady Liberty" carried exploded into a fireball.

"Wow!" Ray yelled looking out the window and up towards the torch.

The whole torch was on fire as the head of the statue lurched suddenly backwards. Winston, Peter, Ray, and Egon managed to cling to the railing around the window, and keep upright on their feet, as the statue started to move.

"Egon!" Ray shouted in surprise. "She's moving! We did it!"

"You know Peter," Winston said, "I've lived in New York for awhile now and never once visited the Statue of Liberty. Now I finally get here and we're taking her out for a walk!"

"We've got full power." Egon said holding the Giga Meter out of the window.

Ray picked up the Nintendo game control and started pushing the buttons on the front.

"Okay, Libby." Ray said, "Let's get it in gear."

Underneath them the men felt a strong vibration as the statue started to move forward and jumped off of the pedestal that she was standing on. The "Ghostbusters" hung on for dear life as "Lady Liberty" took one step forward and jumped into the Hudson River.

"Man, I can't wait to see people's faces when we come on shore!" Ray told Peter as he navigated the statue through the river. "This should really get the city's positive energy flowing, huh, Venkie!"

The statue moved across the Hudson River almost completely submerged, only her head from the eyes up was visible above the surface.

"Keep kicking, Libby!" Peter leaned out the window and hollered at the statue. "You make this work, we'll pop for a weekend in Vegas with the Jolly Green Giant!"

Winston looked out the window apprehensively. "Ray, how deep does it get?" he asked. "That water looks pretty cold and you know I can't swim, man."

"Winston," Peter replied, "it's okay. I have my Senior Lifesaving card."

"Peter with a water temperature of forty degrees we'd survive approximately fifteen minutes before our muscles got weak." Egon said. "Then we would lose coordination and strength because the blood would be moving away from the extremities and towards the center of the body. After that…" Egon trailed off as Ray put a hand onto his arm.

"Look, I'll keep to the middle of the channel." Ray said as he studied a maritime navigational chart. "We're okay to 59th Street, then we'll go ashore and take 1st Avenue uptown."

"Are you kidding?" Peter asked Ray. "We'll hit all that bridge traffic at 59th Street. If I were you I'd take 72nd Street over to 5th Avenue. Trust me, I used to drive a cab."

"You can't take 72nd Street, Peter." Egon retorted. "That's where Eden lives!"

"Look you two." Ray said trying to break up a fight before it started. "I'm taking 59th Street and that's final. I'm hoping that we will get a police escort when we come ashore."

"Hey look at that Ray." Winston said pointing out the window towards South Street Seaport.

All the men turned their heads to the left to see New Years Eve celebrants lining the riverfront, pointing and gawking at the incredible sight. The spectators then started to cheer wildly, inspired by the sight of the statue.

"That's what we need Ray." Egon said holding his Giga Meter out the window. "It's working. The positive GeV's are climbing."

Each step that "Lady Liberty" took brought the "Ghostbusters" closer and closer to their goal. People were jammed together, shoulder to shoulder filling the East River Park as the speakers inside boomed out "Higher and Higher".

"They love you, Lib." Peter said leaning out the window to pat the statue. "Keep it up."

Sure enough, as Ray piloted the controls and brought "Lady Liberty" ashore on 59th Street, a squadron of police motorcycles were waiting for them. The street had been closed off to traffic and barricades placed up, blocking all the side avenues. As the statue came ashore Peter yelled out the window.

"Yeah, New York!" Peter then burst into singing. "Your love…has lifted me higher!"

"Sing it out Peter!" Ray called to him.

Winston yelled down at the crowd of New Yorkers. "Come on, you sing!"

The squadron of police motorcycles went speeding around the corner of 59th Street to turn onto 5th Avenue. The police were going the wrong way on the one-way street but then so were the "Ghostbusters" guiding "Lady Liberty" around the same corner as the music boomed in the distance and the ground shook. The spectators cheered and clapped loudly and even joined in singing along in time with the music. Egon was worried and looked down at his watch.

"We're running out of time, Ray." he said.

"Can't you make her go any faster?" Winston asked.

"I'm afraid the vibrations would shake her to pieces. We should have padded her feet before we left." Ray replied to both men.

"I don't think they make Nikes in her size, Ray." Egon told his friend.

"Ah, don't worry Ray," Peter retorted, "she's tough. She's a harbor chick!"

Ray turned towards Peter, a scowl on his face, totally ignoring what he was doing as the statue's huge foot came down and squashed a police car. Suddenly awakened by what he had done Ray turned his attention back to the task at hand.

"Sorry!" Ray yelled out the window. "My fault!"

Egon nodded his agreement. They were almost there. Egon could see the museum straight ahead. The crowd around the museum had grown since the time they had left. They were not going to be able to get in through the front doors like they had planned.

"Ray!…" Egon started to say but Ray cut him off.

"I see it too." Ray replied.

"Well there goes the front door approach." Peter said. "Now what Holmes?"

Ray thought about it. Then it hit him. The pictures! The restoration room had a skylight. He had seen it when he was developing the pictures in the darkroom with Egon that day.

"The skylight!" Ray told Peter. "The restoration room has a skylight! I could bring the torch down and break the glass. We could get through that way."

"Okay Ray that solves one problem." Peter pointed out, " But how do we get out of the crown?"

"We rappel!" Winston said as he went over to a box in the corner that belonged to the National Park Services.

Opening the box Winston found what he wanted. Four ropes and climbing harnesses. Handing them out to his teammates Winston quickly got into his harness and then helped Peter do the same. Peter was the only one out of the group who had never rappelled or climbed before. Winston explained what to do to Peter while Ray brought the statue up to the museum's right side. The slime started to dissipate from the museum's roof to reveal the skylight of the restoration room. The statue drew back it's mighty right arm as the "Ghostbusters" and spectators cheered her on.

"I love it when you rumble!" Peter shouted.

"Go! Go!" Winston and Ray shouted together.

"Hit it with all you've got!" Egon shouted and pointed out the window to the skylight.

Pausing for only a second, "Lady Liberty" swung her arm forward and smashed through the skylight with her torch. Leaning forward the statue was now positioned with her face overlooking the broken skylight as four ropes were tossed out from her crown. Soon the "Ghostbusters" followed, sliding down the ropes and into the restoration studio to confront Vigo.

"Happy New Year." Peter announced to Janosz when he saw him standing there.

Egon, caught up in the mood, joined in with Peter.

"Hi there," Egon said, "feel free to try something stupid."

Janosz sneered at the four men standing before him as he raised his arms to indicate the painting to his left.

"You pitiful, miserable creatures! You dare to challenge the powers of darkness? Don't you know who this is? He is Vigo! You are like the buzzing of flies to him."

Janosz looked towards the painting to see that the picture of Vigo had vanished. He only had a moment to be surprised before Peter spoke to him again.

"Oh, Johnny. Did you back the wrong horse. Will you hose him, please?" Peter said to Ray and Winston.

Ray and Winston raised their slime blowers and turned them onto Janosz's body spraying him from head to toe as he tried to run away. When Janosz finally collapsed on the ground Ray and Winston turned off their machines.

"One down." Winston told Ray.

"On the ground." Ray replied walking over to the pink covered form of Janosz to make sure he was still alive.

"Boy, am I glad to see you!" Dana's voice called out from behind a pillar as she ran towards Peter with Oscar held tightly in her arms.

"Oh, Oscar," Peter said taking the baby from Dana before he hugged her, "Oscar! You're alive."

Dana held onto Peter. She wasn't going to let him go. She had been so relieved to see Peter and his friends come to her rescue. Dana had done everything she could to save Oscar, but as she stood there helpless with Vigo reaching out to Oscar, stealing- no invading-his body, Dana realized that she had lost. That was until Peter had come.

Peter, like before when they had first met, had come to her rescue with Gozer. Now he was here again for her and she wasn't letting go. Placing her head onto Peter's shoulder she turned her eyes towards the pink slime covered body of her boss Janosz Poha. There had been something wrong with him. Dana had known that for weeks but as sick as he had been she didn't want this to happen to him.

"Is he…" Dana trailed off and then found the courage to finish, "dead?" she questioned Ray who was standing over Janosz's still form.

"Uh-Uh." Ray answered her pointing to the strange contraption on his back with his left hand. "This slime is positively charged. He'll wake up feeling like a million bucks."

"Whoa!" Peter said to Dana holding Oscar away from his body as a pungent smell came to his nose. "Dana, this gentleman is a little bit ripe!"

Dana smiled and tried to take Oscar away from Peter but he wouldn't let her. Bringing the baby back to his chest Peter continued.

"That's alright, my friend, I think I had an accident, too."

Egon turned his attention away from Dana and Peter as he felt the wind start to pick up inside the restoration room. Even thought the painting was empty, Vigo was still with them, somewhere. Egon's negative calibration test meter was clicking wildly as he slowly scanned the room with it. He couldn't pin-point the source as a piece of scaffolding came crashing down behind him. Egon jumped, scared from the noise, as he heard Dana screaming.

"Get him away!"

"Get who away?" Egon wondered as his heart started slowing down from the scare that the scaffolding had given him. Egon turned to see Dana wrapped up in a black hose from the ceiling. Ray and Winston were trying to get her free and Peter was nowhere to be seen.

"Get a knife or something!" Ray shouted to Winston. "We gotta cut her out of this!"

Where was Peter? Egon took his neutrona wand from the side of his pack and held it at the ready. It looked as if he was going to be the only one free to help if Vigo showed up.

Peter had felt the wind pick up inside the studio and knew it couldn't be good. When the scaffolding had fallen and Dana had screamed, Peter had gone to try and help her but Dana hadn't wanted Oscar near her. She wanted Oscar safe and had placed Peter in charge of that sacred duty.

Peter grabbed a moving quilt from off of the top of a nearby crate as he knelt down behind the two crates with Oscar. Spreading out the moving quilt, Peter gently sat the baby down onto it as he spoke to him.

"Okay. Alright, now listen." Peter told Oscar hoping that the eighteen month old would understand. "You gotta stay right here. Don't move. Uncle Pete's gotta go help your mom for a second. You just stay there and don't say anything."

Peter sighed. He felt as if he was deserting this child. Had Peter's father felt that way when he had left Peter and his mother that last time before his mother had died? Peter's father wasn't one to be saddled down with a kid and yet Peter felt differently right now. Looking down into Oscar's face he saw something there. Here was a helpless infant that needed his mother. Could Peter save her?

"Dada?" Oscar quietly said holding his little hands up towards Peter.

Shocked Peter just sat there. Daddy? Oscar thought he was his father. Peter reached out and held Oscar's small hand as the baby cooed. No wonder Peter thought, his real father had left him, didn't want him. Egon had told him all this that afternoon before Christmas when they had talked and Egon had asked Peter to forgive him.

Oscar's dad had wanted Dana to terminate her pregnancy. "How could you ask a woman to do that?" Peter thought. You were there to create that life and yet you didn't want the responsibility that went along with it? Peter let out a breath and released Oscar's tiny hand. Oscar was his now, even though Peter wasn't the biological father, Dana had placed him into his care, and it was his obligation to care for him and his mother, until he was certain that Oscar could care for himself. Egon's "Uh-Oh" brought Peter back as he heard Ray talking to someone.

"Hold it right there, deadhead!" Ray sternly said, "You want a baby, go ahead and knock up some willing hellhound. Otherwise I'm giving you to the count of three to get back in that painting where you belong."

Peter now knew who Ray was talking to. Vigo must have appeared again as he heard Ray start to count off.

"One!" Ray said.

"Here goes nothing." Peter said standing up from behind the crates, his neutrona wand pointing out in front of him. "Two!" he said as he came around the crates to stand next to Ray.

Ray glanced Peter's way only for a moment, a smile upon his face before he said the final word. "Three!"

Peter and Egon opened fire with their neutrona wands as Vigo was grabbed in their beams.

"You got him!" Ray shouted out to the men. "You got him!"

Indeed it did look like Peter and Egon had trapped Vigo as Egon watched Vigo squirm in the energy from the proton's beams. Suddenly Vigo raised his arms and sent the proton's beams energy back towards Egon and his friends. Egon felt himself being lifted up into the air and flung backwards to land on the ground in agony.

"That was really stupid!" Winston commented to himself as he tried to get up and found he could not.

Egon laid on his left side with his eyes closed and teeth clenched. His back, which had been getting better, was throbbing and his chest hurt to breathe. "Small breaths, small breaths", Egon told himself trying to clam his nerves. Egon opened his eyes to see Peter, Ray, and Winston next to him. Egon tried to get up and found he couldn't move. Now he knew what the ghosts felt like before they went into the trap. It wasn't a pleasant feeling at all.

"Ray?" Egon called to him. "Can you move?"

"No." Ray choked out. "Are you okay?"

"No." Egon replied. "Peter? How are you?"

"I'm fine." Peter lied to both men.

Dana's cries brought Peter's attention towards her.

"No…No!" Dana cried.

"Oscar." she whispered before turning on Peter.

"Please," she begged Peter, "do something!"

Peter couldn't let her down and did the only thing he knew how to do. Talk. Pulling himself forward on his left side, the best he could, Peter called out to Vigo who was walking before him with Oscar in his outstretched hands.

"Not so fast, Vigo!" Peter said as Vigo stopped walking and looked down at him.

"Vigo!" Peter continued, pulling himself closer. "Yeah, you! The bimbo with the baby. Anyone ever tell you the big shoulder look is out?"

"You know," Peter said as he inched his body forward again. "I have met some dumb blondes in my life, but you take the taco, pal. Only a Carpathian would come back to life now and choose New York. Tasty pick, bonehead!" Peter yelled at Vigo.

Peter screwed up his face and shut his eyes as he tried to think of another insult to throw Vigo's way.

"If you had brain one in that **HUGE.." **Peter emphasized the word, "melon on top of your neck, you would be living the sweet life out in southern California's beautiful San Fernando Valley!" Peter finished and opened his eyes back up.

Vigo stood there for a moment before he unleashed his magical powers on the four men. Drawing in a breath Vigo released it with paralyzing rays to wrap around the four men's bodies.

"Oh darn, Oh, darn it!" Peter said to himself as he saw Vigo raise Oscar into the air.

Egon's body was conversing from the electrical shock that he was receiving, care of Vigo. He wasn't going to be able to hold on much longer. His lungs were burning him as he found it getting harder to breathe.

"Now we become one!" Egon heard Vigo say as Egon's vision was starting to become blurry.

Egon was going to die. He could feel it. His body was shutting down. Egon's heart broke. What was he going to do? Would he be with his father and Eli again soon? He had been sent back to be with Eden. Eden's face flashed before his eyes. His friend, his mate, his love. Egon's heart went out to her as he called out to her before he took his last breath.

"Eden, I'm so sorry. I love you."


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: Ghostbusters II is owned by Columbia Pictures an written by Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd. I am only borrowing the parts that I need for my story.

Chapter 21

Eden stood facing the Metropolitan Museum of Art with her roommates by her side. She had been upset with Egon when he had left her at her apartment but she knew that he had wanted her safe. Eden had stayed put until that night when Grace and Paul had returned from working with Charlie. Grace and Paul had told Eden what was going on in the city and what they had seen at Charlie's work. That was when Eden had made up her mind that she needed to help her beloved.

"You can't go Eden!" Grace said grabbing her arm to stop her as Eden tried to leave the apartment at eleven o'clock that night.

"Grace," Eden said turning towards her, "I have to. Egon's going out on a limb here to try and stop this from happening. He needs all the positive thoughts from us that he can get. Egon…" Eden paused and then continued. "Grace, Egon needs me. I can feel it. Please let me go."

Grace released Eden's arm when she saw the concerned look in her face. Grace knew that there was something else that Eden wasn't telling her and she pressed Eden for it.

Turning her face away from Grace so that she wouldn't see her tears, Eden told Grace what Egon had said to her before he had left with Winston for the firehouse that afternoon.

"Eden," Egon said to her holding her hands, "This is going to be dangerous. Vigo the Carpathian is a very powerful sorcerer. We are going to need all the positive thoughts and energy that we can muster from this city in order to defeat him."

"What can I do to help?" Eden asked him.

"Right now, nothing." Egon said as he pulled her towards him holding her tight against his cracked ribs.

Egon could feel Eden shaking under his arms as he tried to calm his nerves by stroking the back of her head with his hand. She was scared and so was he, but he couldn't let that emotion show right now. He had to be strong for her.

"Eden, if I don't succeed then Vigo is going to take over the world. If that happens I want you to do one thing for me."

"What's that?"

"Live! Please, just do what Vigo asks of you. I don't want you killed for going against him."

"Egon," Eden whispered, "what if he wants…" she trailed off, the sentence left unspoken in the air.

Egon released Eden and held her at arms length. She was a beautiful woman. Something that men desired. He knew what she was thinking. If Ben had been physically abusive to her, what was Vigo going to do to her?

Egon wished he hadn't told Eden about Vigo's reign, but she had a right to know what was going to befall her if he failed. The people Vigo had enslaved, the concubines he kept, the others he had mass murdered, this is what awaited Eden if Vigo was successful in gaining a body.

"Eden, I can't tell you what to do if that happens," Egon said to her. "It's your body. He has no right to you. You're not a whore to be bought and sold. Remember that."

Eden nodded her head, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. She knew that Egon cared deeply for her, loved her, and she knew that he would give his life for her if he had too, to keep her safe; alive.

"Eden," Egon reverently spoke to her, "if I should…"

Eden cut him off as she leaned over and reached up, placing her lips on his, kissing him passionately, not wanting the words to escape from his mouth. She couldn't bear to lose him again.

Releasing him from her kiss Eden gently spoke to him.

"If things go wrong, just remember this…" she started to say.

"I love you." Egon and Eden said together.

As Eden finished her story, Grace reached out and pulled Eden towards her in a hug as Eden cried into her shoulder. She knew that Egon wanted to marry Eden right away and she also knew that Eden was scared for her fiancé. Egon had finally spoken the words aloud to Eden. Those three words that Paul and her always said to each other. I love you. Three little words that meant so much in a lot of different ways.

"Eden," Grace said releasing her, "you can't go alone. I'll go with you."

"As will I," said Paul coming up to Grace's side and placing his hands onto the two women's shoulders.

"I'm going too!" Helen said standing in Iris's bedroom doorway with Iris by her side.

"Well," Iris said untying her bathrobe and turning back into her bedroom, "I'd better get dressed. I don't want Winston to see me in my undergarments, just yet."

Now here she stood outside the very museum where Egon was inside fighting Vigo. Eden had seen the Statue of Liberty walking up 5th Avenue and her spirits rose. Egon and his friends had done it! They had gotten the statue to move. Eden had cheered, with the rest of the large crowd that had gathered outside the museum, as the statue broke through the top of the museum and her future husband had gone inside to try and save her, her roommates, and all of humanity.

It was late, a few minutes to midnight, Eden saw as she looked down at her watch, however nothing was happening. Egon had told her if they couldn't stop Vigo by midnight that they never would. Eden's heart went out to Egon, inside the museum, as a feeling of dread came flooding back to her.

"Four minutes to go Eden," Grace said standing next to Paul.

A tear fell from Eden's eye. She knew that her friend, her mate, her love was gone. With her heart broken, Eden tottered and fell against Paul on her right. Paul studied her and held Eden up on her feet as she wept openly. Eden looked up into Paul's face when she felt his touch. He had tried to save her child that day long ago. She had been told that by Grace. Paul tried everything that he knew how but her baby hadn't lived.

Eden turned her face to the museum. Egon had saved her from her depression. He had brought her out of the darkness and into the light. She would have to be strong now that he was gone but she couldn't, all she could think about was standing by another grave.

Iris had stood by her side that day when they had buried the tiny body of her baby girl. Grace, Paul, and Helen, the only witnesses as Eden sang a song to her lost daughter.

"Midnight," Grace said quietly not wanting to disturb Eden.

Eden wiped away her tears as she opened her mouth and sang out in her beautiful soprano voice the song that she had sung for her daughter.

"_Should old acquaintance be forgot,_

_and never thought upon;_

_The flames of love extinguished,_

_and fully past and gone._

_Is thy sweet heart now grown so cold,_

_that loving breast of thine;_

_That thou canst never once reflect_

_on Old long Syne."_

Paul, Grace, Helen, and Iris joined in singing with Eden now.

"_On Old long syne my Jo,_

_in Old long syne,_

_That thou canst never once reflect,_

_on Old long syne."_

Eden sang the second verse alone. Raising herself up to her full statue. Her heart reaching out to her lost love.

"_My heart is ravish with delight,_

_when thee I think upon;_

_All grief and sorrow takes the flight,_

_and speedily is gone;_

_The bright resemblance of they face,_

_so fills this, heart of mine;_

_That force nor fate can me displease,_

_for Old long syne."_

Eden's roommates, Paul and the rest of the crowd joined Eden in singing the chorus. Their positive thoughts, hopes, and dreams were conveyed through the song and rebounded off of the slime. Eden raised her face towards the museum, where Egon's body lay, and sang to him and him alone.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Egon's mind floated up through the haze. Was he dead? This wasn't like before. There were voices singing to him this time. Egon saw a young girl with long medium brown hair and light green eyes ahead of him in the distance. She was wearing a white dress. He knew this girl. She was the same one he had seen from his time with his father. Ray had said that he thought that the girl was his sister, but yet she had Eden's voice. Now only her voice could be heard singing. The other voices had stopped. Her voice alone was calling to him. Beaconing to him.

"_Since thoughts of thee doth banish grief,_

_when from thee I am gone;_

_will not thy presence yield relief,_

_to this sad heart of mine."_

Egon fought to get to this young girl. He had to know who she was. His father had left the sentence unfinished. Was she Eden's daughter or his sister? Egon felt as if he was trying to swim through a thick gel type of water to get to where she stood. The harder he fought to get to her the harder it became for him. Egon saw the girl fading from his view.

"No. Wait!" he cried out to her as she vanished from his sight. Only her voice remained.

"_Why doth thy presence me defeat,_

_with excellence divine?_

_Especially when I reflect_

_on Old long syne."_

Egon heard Ray's voice calling, speaking to him through the haze. Egon's mind was still muddy but starting to clear. What had Ray said to him? Something about singing. Now Egon heard Winston's voice. Something about people, Winston had said. Now he heard it too. The people outside were singing. That is what Egon had imagined. Egon reached out his arm towards Ray and Winston and found he could move it slightly. Opening his eyes, Egon saw Vigo wreathing in pain as his physical body was starting to break down. He couldn't hold onto this form for much longer.

"He's weakening!" Egon cried to his friends. "The singing is neutralizing the slime!"

"I can move!" Ray replied.

Egon found that the spell had been broken. He could move and painfully made his way to his feet. Vigo was losing his power that he had taken from the people of the city and with one last agonizing yell disappeared from view. Egon looked around the studio to find that Vigo was spitting and raging at him, but now he was inside the painting.

"He's back in the painting!" Egon yelled to his teammates as he grabbed his neutrona wand and pointed it towards Vigo.

"Alright, go find a shady spot," Egon heard Peter tell Dana as he came up to stand before the painting.

"Vigi, Vigi, Vigi. You have been a bad little monkey!" Peter told the painting as he watched Ray move towards it.

Winston came up to stand by Egon's right side, his slime blower ready. They all stood fast, secure in the knowledge that Vigo's power had been neutralized by the good will of the people of New York. Ray, however, was still staring, transfixed as Vigo slowly changed into his natural form.

"The whole city's together on this one," Winston remarked to Vigo. "We took a vote. Everybody's down on you, you know." Flipping the switch on his plasma discharge port Winston said, "Say goodnight now."

Egon put out a hand to stop Winston from firing. Ray was standing in their way.

"Uh, Ray?" Egon said to his friend, "We'd like to shoot the monster. Could you move, please?"

Ray didn't move, he just stood there. What was going on? Winston was worried. He had seen this behavior from Ray before.

"Ray?!" Winston called out to him, concern in his voice.

"No good," Winston thought as Ray slowly moved closer and closer to the painting of Vigo. Egon could see that nothing was getting through to his friend as he shouted louder along with Peter and Winston.

"**RAY!"**

Ray turned around to face his friends, but it wasn't Ray that stood before them now. Ray had taken on the true form of Vigo the Carpathian.

"No!" Vigo threatened the three men before him inside of Ray's body. "I, Ray, am Vigo and rule the earth! Be gone, you pitiful half-men!"

Egon turned his head towards Peter, devastated. Ray was now possessed by Vigo. They had lost. Peter looked towards Egon and said one word to him and Winston.

"NOW!"

Peter flipped the trigger on his neutrona wand and blasted away at the painting. Winston nodded his head and followed suit, spraying Ray with the positively charged slime from his slime blower.

"I'm sorry Ray," Egon said to himself as he followed Peter's and Winston's example. Egon turned on his neutrona wand and blasted away at the painting too.

As Egon continued to fire the proton's energy beam at the painting, he could see Ray falling to the ground as Vigo bellowed and left Ray's body. Leaving only Vigo's floating head outside of the painting Egon, Winston, and Peter continued to fire their weapons as Vigo fell back into the painting.

"NO!" Vigo's head exclaimed as a bright explosion erupted across the painting's surface.

Peter, Winston, and Egon turned their heads away and shut off their streams. As soon as Egon saw that he wasn't in danger of getting hit by the proton's beams or slime blowers streams, he was across the room and kneeling by Ray's side.

"Oh, Ray," Egon whispered to his friend. "What have I done?"

Ray was completely covered with slime and laid motionless on the floor. Egon reached out and tentatively placed his fingers onto Ray's neck to check for a pulse. A wave of relief washed over him as he hung his head. He felt Ray's pulse, strong and study under his touch.

"He's alive!" Egon called out to Peter and Winston.

Winston came up behind Egon and started to wipe the slime off of Ray's face as Ray opened his eyes.

"Let's get this off," Egon told Ray as he and Winston carefully took Ray's slime blower off of his back.

"Ray, how do you feel, man?" Winston asked as he helped Ray to his feet.

Ray stood up before the two men, a little wobbly, but clearly himself.

"Groovy," Ray said smiling at them both. "I've never felt better in my life."

Ray looked up at Egon. Now he could tell him how he felt. He had left the sentence unfinished in the Statue of Liberty when Egon had cut him off. Ray needed to tell Egon how he felt about him and now was the perfect time.

"I love you Egon," Ray said dripping with slime as he took his hand and placed it upon Egon's arm. "I love all you guys."

"Great, Ray," Egon said trying to change the subject.

Egon knew what Ray was going to say to him on the stairs inside the Statue of Liberty and had stopped him from saying the words out loud. He felt the same way. Ray was his brother he never had and as such they loved each other as two siblings would. Nothing needed to be said. But apparently the slime thought so and had Ray saying the words. Egon turned his friend around and started to walk Ray towards Peter.

"Let's go Ray," Egon said as Ray continued on his 'love' rampage.

"And I love Peter…" Ray said counting off on his fingers. "Wow. Real friendship. You're the best friends I've ever had."

"Oh no," Winston said as he helped Ray along, "We've got to live with this?" Winston questioned as they stopped in front of Janosz, who was still lying on the ground in a puddle of slime.

Janosz was sleepily singing to himself as Ray, Winston, and Egon helped the man to his feet. Janosz was dazed but unhurt just like Ray. Looking down at his slime covered body Janosz questioned Ray.

"Ah, why am I dripping with goo?"

Egon came to Janosz's rescue and replied. "You had a violent, prolonged, transformative psychic episode but it's over now."

"Eh?" Janosz turned his head towards Ray clearly not understanding what Egon had said to him.

"Look," Ray said placing a hand upon Janosz's shoulder, "sorry we had to hose you down there, but you were kind of out of control."

Egon pulled his negative calibration test meter out of his pocket while Ray was talking and scanned Janosz's body. Nothing showed up but positive readings. Vigo wasn't using him anymore.

"He's fine, Ray. Physically intact, psychomagnetherically neutral," Egon said as he passed the meter over Ray's body just to be sure.

Vigo wasn't there either. Egon released a breath. They had won.

"Is that good?" Janosz asked Winston.

"Hey man, it's where you want to be," Winston replied walking away from them.

Ray turned Janosz's attention back to him. Ray had something to say and he was going to say it. Squeezing Janosz's arm and pointing a finger at him, Ray continued his thought.

"Hey, let me tell you something," Ray said to Janosz, "I love you."

"Yeah?" Janosz replied smiling, "Well, I love you too."

Janosz and Ray bear hugged each other as Egon shook his head. Ray needed a shower and fast before he started confessing his love for everything and everyone. Winston called for Egon's attention.

"Hey fellas!" Winston said beckoning the others over. "You wanna take a look at this?"

Egon and Ray left Janosz as they walked over to where Winston was standing looking at the painting. "Was Vigo back?" Egon wondered as he stopped next to Ray and looked up in surprise. There before him was not the painting of Vigo that Egon had expected to see. It was a painting in the likeness of Peter, Ray, Egon, and Winston, surrounding baby Oscar who was laying on a white cloud. The men were depicted as heavenly saints with colorful robes over one shoulder. Egon was holding a book, representing knowledge. Ray was holding an olive branch, representing peace. Winston was holding a harp, representing heaven or God and Peter was holding a sword, representing a protector for mankind.

"Early Renaissance, I think," Egon commented as Peter walked over to stand by his side, followed by Dana and Oscar. "Raphael or Piero Della Francesca."

"No, I believe it's one of the Fettuccini," Peter said teasing Egon.

"Peter," Winston commented, "why are you always thinking with your stomach?"

"Because I'm starved!" Peter replied as he took Dana into his arms and kissed her.

"Let's go boys," Ray said leading the way out of the restoration studio.

Setting their proton packs and slime blowers down by the front doors of the museum the group walked outside. Mayor Lenny Clotch met the "Ghostbusters" as they exited the museum.

"Lenny!" Peter said opening his arms wide and walking towards the man, "We need to talk," Peter finished as he placed his hand onto the Mayor's shoulder.

"Yes we do, Doctor Venkman," Mayor Clotch replied as he pointed a finger towards the Statue of Liberty.

Peter looked to where "Lady Liberty" lay sprawled inert on her back behind the museum. Looking back to the Mayor, Peter could see that he looked nearly suicidal.

"She's alright," Peter told the Mayor. "She's just sleeping it off."

"We just had her restored," Mayor Clotch replied, horror in his voice.

"This probably isn't a good time to bring this up, but the last time we did a job for the city you stiffed us," Peter told the Mayor.

"This is a bill for tonight's job," Ray stated handing the Mayor a slightly gel covered invoice that he had written up on their way out of the museum.

Carefully Mayor Clotch took the invoice and looked at it, a gasp escaping from his lips when he saw the amount.

"What?!" he roared, "This is way too much! We won't pay."

Mayor Clotch tried to hand the invoice back to Ray, but Ray refused to take it. Peter removed his hand from the Mayor's shoulder and crossed to stand next to Ray. Both men looked towards the statue and talked to each other.

"You know Ray," Peter said, "I think she looks pretty good here, don't you?"

"Yeah," Ray responded seeing what Peter was trying to do, "I'll just stand her up behind the museum. She'll be a lot easier to get to than that island."

"Alright, alright," Mayor Clotch said holding up his hands to stop the two men from going any further.

Realizing he had no alternative the Mayor sighed as he folded the invoice and placed it in his suit's breast pocket.

"If you can wait until Monday," Mayor Clotch told Peter, "I'll issue you a check."

"Sorry," Egon replied, "No checks. Company policy."

"Yeah. Cash, credit cards, or money orders only. If you need a payment plan you can talk to our account specialist Louis Tully on Monday," Winston recited the speech that Louis had made them memorize.

Egon patted Ray on the back as they headed down the stairs of the museum together. Ray smiled as he walked next to Egon. There was someone that Egon needed to go and see Ray knew, and that was Eden. Egon and him had talked briefly on the way out of the museum. Egon told Ray that he was going to marry Eden today and had asked him if he would be his best man. Ray was surprised and thrilled at the same time and immediately said yes to his adoptive brother, Egon.

Egon and him had been through a lot together this past month and they had made it. Now Egon was going to share his life with another. Ray wondered if he would get put on the back burner now that Egon was getting married. Ray didn't want to be alone again. He had failed in thinking positive thoughts inside the museum and that was when Vigo had possessed him. What positive things were in his life now? Peter had Dana, Egon had Eden, even Winston was seeing Iris, but he had no one. Ray stopped walking and watched as Egon continued on down the stairs, his heart breaking. He could see Winston hugging Iris at the front of the crowd. That was where Egon was headed. Egon had told Eden to stay at her apartment but it looked like she hadn't listened. Ray let out half a laugh. Even though Eden was a beauty to behold there was a mischievous spirit under her exterior.

"Raymond!"

Ray turned to his right. Who was calling him? To his surprise he saw his sister, Jean running as best as she could towards him. She was eight months pregnant with her second child. What was she doing here?

"Jean?" Ray questioned running down the last set of stairs so that she wouldn't have to climb up to him. "What's wrong? Where is Allison?"

"Oh, Raymond it's horrible," Jean said stopping at the bottom of the steps trying to catch her breath.

Ray looked her over. She had been crying and had dark circles under her eyes. The side of her face was red and it looked bruised to him. What had happened?

"Jean," Ray said as he took her arm and led her away from the shouts of the crowd, "what happened? Where is Allison and Jim?"

Jean sat down on the steps of the museum as Ray followed suit.

"It's a long story, Raymond," she said between breaths.

"Okay," Ray said to her as he rubbed her back, "then just give me the Reader's Digest Version."

Jean nodded her head and swallowed. "Jim left me Raymond," she quietly spoke to her brother. "He pushed me into a wall, grabbed Allison and threw her at me, and then he slapped my face when I didn't do what he wanted. I left Allison with Aunt Lois and came to find you."

Jean broke down crying, and Ray pulled her into a hug. Ray knew that Jim had a temper sometimes but he had gone to counseling for that. Was the slime responsible?

"Raymond," Jean choked out into Ray's shoulder, "what am I going to do? I am going to need help when the baby is born and no one is going to hire me the way I am right now. I'm going to lose the apartment we're in because I can't pay the rent. Where are Allison and I going to live?"

Ray thought about this for a moment and then an idea popped into his head. "Jean," he said pulling away from her, "how about staying at the house?"

"What?" Jean said wiping away her tears, "You'd do that for me? Mom and Dad left you that house. It's yours. Why aren't you living there now?"

"You know why Jean. I couldn't afford the upkeep on the place but now…" Ray trailed off with a wave of his hand out over the crowd, "…I can. This is perfect. We can live there together. You, me, Allison, and the baby. I'll be there to help you. Just like when we were kids. Deal?"

Jean nodded her head. This could work. She was glad she had such a wonderful brother. "Deal." she said.

"Okay," Ray said to her, "I just have to ask Egon one question, then I can help you move in."

Ray got up and walked over to where Egon and Eden were. This is what Ray had wanted. Now he had someone to care for. He wasn't going to be alone. Walking closer to where Egon and Eden were supposed to be, Ray saw that Egon was on top of Eden and the pair was on the ground kissing each other passionately.

"Hey Egon," Ray yelled out, "get a room!"

Egon raised his head up to look at Ray who was walking towards him. Egon's face flushed bright red when he realized what he was doing. He helped Eden to her feet as he turned to face his friend.

"Can't wait to get married I see," Ray teased him stopping before the pair.

"Ray I…" Egon started to say before Ray cut him off.

"Forget it Egon," Ray said waving his hand, "I just need to know when you need me for your wedding. I have to help my sister Jean move. It's a long story."

Egon turned towards Eden to ask her when she wanted to go to the justice of the peace but just then Peter came up to talk to them.

"Egon," Peter said stopping to Egon's left with Dana by his side, "don't make any plans just yet. The Mayor wants us at Liberty Island later today at nine in the morning for some ceremony he has planned."

"Well that shot down my idea," Eden said.

"Eden," Grace said behind her, "if you can give us a couple of hours we can have you married in Central Park later this afternoon. Complete with music and cake."

"What?!" Eden asked surprised.

"Well, we sort have been planning this for awhile you know," Grace replied, "Just leave everything to us."

Egon smiled at Eden's bewildered face. Eden's roommates knew her only too well. Just like his future wife knew him.

"Well that's settled," Ray said turning towards Winston. "Hey do you want to come with me and return "Lady Liberty" back to where she belongs before the city sues us again."

"Sure," Winston replied holding Iris by his side, "but Iris has to come along. I'm not letting this woman out of my sight."

"That's fine as long as you don't mind my sister tagging along too," Ray said turning and walking back to where Jean sat at the base of the museum's stairs.

"See you all later," Winston called out following after Ray.

Soon only Egon and Eden were left standing there. Egon knew what he wanted to do and took Eden into his arms burying his face into her hair.

"Are you ready to take the next step in our relationship?" Egon asked Eden.

Eden knew what Egon was talking about. She had wanted this since August. She was ready and quivered in his arms. But would their first time be like her last time with Ben?

Egon felt Eden's body trembling under his arms. Suddenly a thought came into his mind. Did he have a right to do this to her before they were married? Ben hadn't seemed to care about her rights, but had Eden? Was she just going along with what Ben had wanted or was she really the one who wanted it? Egon realized that he had no right to take advantage of her now. As much as he wanted her, needed her beside him in bed, he was going to have to let her invite him in. He would never force himself upon her, now or in the future.

"Eden," Egon whispered into her ear, "I don't want to take advantage of you. I can wait until we're married if you want. I will understand."

Egon released Eden and held her at arms length. "I want you to know that I will never force myself upon you. Please don't worry. I'm not Ben. I don't know if Ben forced himself upon you or not. I don't even know if you were both consenting when you got pregnant," he said.

Eden nodded her head holding back her tears. How could Egon have known what had happened to her? She needed to talk to Egon before the wedding but here was not the place. Eden had given Egon the truth about what had happened to her that night with Ben, but something was left unsaid and she didn't know if Egon would still want her when she told him.

"Is there somewhere we can go and talk about Ben in private?" Eden asked.

"Yes. My place, please come," Egon said as he took her hand and led her away from the museum and across Central Park.

Opening the door to his studio apartment Egon invited Eden in and offered her some tea. He didn't drink so he didn't have anything stronger to offer her. Something was up Egon knew as they had walked across Central Park back to his place. Something about Ben was deeply buried inside Eden.

Eden sat down on the couch as Egon sat by her side. Playing with her cup of tea that Egon had given her, she finally related her tale.

"I met Ben at college. He was nice at first. He loved me and I loved him and we both consented for awhile. When I moved to Nevada to sing with the Nevada Opera Theater Company Ben became, I don't know, possessive I guess is the word that I would use. I finally had to get away from him and tried out for the Metropolitan Opera and got the job here. What I didn't realize is that Ben had started taking drugs when I moved to Nevada. That is why his personality had changed. I didn't realize how bad it was until the night he tried to kill me. The night that I got pregnant Ben had taken heroin. Iris knew. She had seen him take the drug before he came into my bedroom."

Eden paused and set her cup down on the coffee table in front of her and folded her arms around her body.

"Iris knocked on my bedroom door right after Ben came in to me. She told me what she had seen and you know what I did. I called her a liar. My friend. I asked for her forgiveness eventually, but I felt bad afterwards. I thought that Ben loved me and would never do anything to harm me. But…"

Eden trailed off and wrapped her arms tighter around herself looking at the floor. Eden started rocking herself back and forth. Finally stopping, Eden heaved a deep breath and finished her story.

"Ben sexually assaulted me that night Egon. After I confronted him with Iris's story he told me that she was nuts and to mind her own business. I didn't feel like doing anything that night but Ben had other ideas. I was forced against my will. My father called it "Date Rape". That is one of the reasons that I didn't tell Ben right away when I found out I was pregnant. I had to get over the fact that this baby of mine was forced upon me. Iris helped me through that. Since I wanted children, she told me that it didn't matter how the child got here as long as I wanted it and would care for it deeply. Iris changed my mind about being pregnant. You see, Iris can't have any children. Please don't tell Winston. Iris wants to do that when she is ready."

"So I changed my attitude about the situation that I was placed in. And as I did so my life changed too. That was until Ben came back and I showed him the test results. I had thought that he would be happy but you know what happened…" Eden's voice trailed off. After a long pause she continued. "After a stay in the hospital I had to bury my baby girl. That was the hardest day of my life. Losing someone I loved."

Eden looked up from the floor and into Egon's eyes.

"Egon, I thought I had lost you last night. When I stood outside that museum and nothing was happening my heart went out to you and all I felt was dread. I knew that you were gone. Deep in my soul I knew that you no longer lived. How is it that you are sitting here beside me now? Am I dreaming?"

Egon smiled at her. "You're not dreaming Eden. I was in fact being killed by Vigo. I called out to you right before I thought I was going to die. I told you that I was sorry and that I loved you. The truth of the matter is that the people outside of the museum saved us. Whoever started that singing of 'Auld Lang Syne' saved us. It neutralized the slime allowing us to defeat Vigo. I wish I knew who that was."

"Egon that was me. I started singing the song!" Eden replied. "When I felt that you were gone I saw myself standing next to your grave, just like I stood by my daughter's. I sang the only song that came to mind. It was the song that I sang to my daughter when I buried her that day."

"Eden, 'Auld Lang Syne' is used to celebrate the start of the New Year at the stroke of midnight. Why did you sing it at your daughter's funeral?"

"Don't you know Egon? 'Auld Lang Syne' is sung at the end of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Memorial Ceremony to honor their "absent members", those who have died. I heard it all the time growing up. I also heard it at the international Boy Scout youth movement as they closed their jamborees with it when I went with my uncle. It was always sung at a relative's funeral. It's just what you did where I came from."

"Where I grew up it was always 'Amazing Grace'," Egon said as he carefully reached over and offered Eden his hand.

Eden unwrapped her arms from her body and took Egon's hand into hers, looking up into his eyes.

"You still want me?" Eden asked her voice no louder than a whisper.

"Why wouldn't I want you?"

"Because of my past. I have been sexually and physically abused Egon. No one wants a person like that." Eden said turning her face away from Egon.

"I do," Egon said taking Eden's face into his right hand turning it back towards him. "Eden it doesn't matter what happened in your past. Throughout the journey, along the pathway of life, there are casualties. Learn from them, live through them, and try not to make the same mistake twice. We can do this together. While Archimedes did not invent the lever he did leave us with a remarkable quote."

"What's that?"

"Give me a place to stand on, and I will move the Earth," Egon said releasing her face. "Eden, we can move the Earth. You and I. We can make a difference in this world. We have already when we helped each other overcome our depression. You saved me and I in turn have saved you. In the private sanctuary of one's own conscience lies that spirit, that determination to cast off the old person and to measure up to the stature of true potential. You taught me this. The world can at times be a frightening place in which to live. I saw that first hand inside the museum. The moral fabric of society seemed to be unraveling at an alarming speed. None, whether young or old or in-between was exempt. Vigo had the potential to drag us down and destroy us all. But with a positive attitude, like you said, we survived. Just think of what we can do together Eden? The children we can bring into this world, together. To raise them up into the knowledge of all things! To pass on our legacy!"

Eden nodded her head. Egon was right. Together they could do this. Together they had saved each other. Together they could make a difference.

"I love you Eden," Egon said as he squeezed her hand. "No matter what happens. I will forever love you."

Eden laid her head onto Egon's shoulder and closed her eyes. She was tired. She knew that Egon would never hurt her. She felt safe for the first time in her life.

And safe Eden would stay that night as she fell asleep against Egon's shoulder. Eventually he carried her to his bed and placed her inside its warm covers. Kissing her forehead, before taking a pillow and blanket, Egon crossed the room to sleep on the couch for the night. He would never harm her and couldn't wait until she was his.


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: Ghostbusters II is owned by Columbia Pictures an written by Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd. I am only borrowing the parts that I need for my story.

Chapter 22

The sun was shining brightly as Eden sat in the front row watching Mayor Lenny Clotch and a host of other officials commemorating the return of the Statue of Liberty back to her pedestal where she belonged. Eden was there along with her roommates including Paul and Charlie.

The "Ghostbusters"; with Dana, Oscar, Janine, and Louis were there in front of her on the stand as honored guests.

"And now I would like to present the key to the city of New York to The Ghostbusters. Doctor Spengler, Doctor Stantz, and Doctor Venkman, along with Mr. Winston Zeddemore," the Mayor said as he held up an oversized silver key.

Turning around, Mayor Clotch handed the key to Peter and shook his hand.

"Thanks for everything," Mayor Clotch said as he went down the line and shook Ray's, Winston's, and Egon's hands. "If there is anything I can do for you just let me know."

"Thanks," Peter said, "but I hope we don't have to meet again anytime soon."

"Agreed!" Mayor Clotch replied as he left the stand.

Eden got up from her seat when the audience rose up on their feet to give the "Ghostbusters" a standing ovation. She walked up to join Egon on the stand. The small group was looking up at the Statue of Liberty as she crossed and put her arm tenderly around Egon, conscious of his ribs, and stood by his side.

"Pretty impressive, huh?" Peter said as he held Dana to his right side with Oscar in his left arm.

"Yes," Egon said musing as he placed his chin on top of Eden's head, "It's probably the first thing my ancestors saw when they came to this country."

"From where," Peter replied turning around to look at Egon, "Neptune?"

Egon smiled at Peter. He wasn't upset about the remark. He had forgiven Peter and had been freed from that chain that bound him. Peter was just being himself.

"No Peter," Egon told him, "they came from Ostrov in Eastern Poland."

"Ostrov? I've been there. Good party town," Peter replied.

"Poland?" Eden questioned, "but I thought you were German?"

"Both," Egon replied. "My ancestor Ezekiel Spengler left Germany to settle in the New England colonies in Massachusetts but his brother settled in Ostrov."

"You know my great-grandparents were Swiss," Ray said in a similarly reflective mood. "I still have the picture they took of the statue from the boat when they arrived."

"Oh, right, you told me that," Peter said, "They came to America seeking other kinds of cheese, as I recall. How about you, Winston?" Peter asked as he and Dana started walking down the steps of the stand.

Winston snorted following Peter and Dana. "My people weren't taking any pictures from those slave ships, man. And there wasn't any statue in Charleston Harbor to welcome them, either. What are you, Dana?" Winston asked as he stopped in front of Iris and offered her his hand.

Iris took Winston's proffered hand and stood up next to him.

"Miss Blue Blood?" Peter questioned stopping and holding Dana out at arms length. "Her family's been here since Year One."

"Peter that's not true," Dana replied as she took Oscar from Peter's arm. "It was 1620."

"Same difference," Peter said to Dana as he leaned over and kissed her.

"So Peter," Ray said stopping beside him, "What's your story?"

Ray had followed Egon and Eden off of the stand and they were now all standing in front of Eden's roommates.

"Me?" Peter questioned breaking off the kiss he was giving Dana. "I'm a little bit of everything. Some Irish, some German, some French, little bit of Dutch. The women in my family slept around."

"That's a terrible thing to say Peter," Dana replied.

"So what?" Peter retorted back. "So, Eden. What's your story."

"I'm from Ireland," Eden said to Peter. "My ancestors left there to escape the Potato Famine."

"Now that makes sense of why you picked out the Celtic Knot and saying in Egon's ring," Charlie replied, "In case anyone's interested I'm French. How about you Paul?"

"Me?" Paul responded sitting next to Charlie, "English and Grace is Italian."

"Helen what are you?" Peter asked.

Helen laughed. "I guess my eyes don't give me away, huh, Doctor Venkman. My mother is Native American and my father is Japanese."

"And that's what makes this country great. Thanks lib!" Peter said as he saluted "Lady Liberty."

"Helen!"

Someone was calling Helen's name as she stood up and looked back over the crowd behind her. She couldn't believe her eyes.

"Kin!" Helen yelled and left her roommates to run into her husband's outstretched open arms.

Still wearing his military BDU's and carrying his duffle bag, Kin was a sight for sore eyes.

"When did you get here?" Helen asked releasing him.

"A few hours ago. I figured you were at the apartment and went there first. I don't have the key so when I knocked on the neighbors' door they told me that you were here," Kin said as he dropped his duffle bag onto the ground to give Helen a proper hug. "I'm on leave for six months."

"Who's that?" Peter asked Eden.

"That's Helen's husband, Kin. He's in the military. He gets deployed all the time. That's why Helen lives with us," Eden said smiling at Helen and her husband's joyful reunion.

"I wish someone would have told me she was married before I tried to pick up on her," Peter replied.

Dana swung an arm out and playfully hit Peter.

"Serves you right for not asking first Peter," Dana said.

"Kin?" Winston asked Egon, "What kind of name is that?"

"Kin is Japanese and means 'Gold' Winston," Egon answered.

"That's right. He was named after a relative," Iris replied, "Kin's family is from the Takeda clan. A noble and aristocratic house of very old lineage; descended from the Minamoto, who were the conquerors of the Heike/Taira and the first shoguns of Japan."

"Really?" Peter replied impressed.

"Yes," Grace said, "I'm amazed she didn't try to cut you down with Kin's great-great-great-great-grandfather's daisho."

"Daisho?" Peter asked confused by the word.

"Daisho are a matched pair of traditionally made Japanese swords," Paul told Peter. "They consist of a Katana, which is a long sword and a wakizashi, a short sword, that were worn by the samurai class in feudal Japan."

"No way!" Peter stated shocked that he was still standing knowing Helen's background now. "Now that's one badass family tree."

Everyone laughed at Peter's remarks until Ray interrupted them.

"So Egon," he said, "When are we going to do this?"

Egon knew what Ray was referring to. Eden's roommates had planned everything out for her wedding a couple of months ago. They knew that Eden loved him and it would only be a matter of time before one or the other would 'pop' the question.

Iris had made Eden's wedding dress for her and Eden didn't even know it. Grace and Helen had picked out the music and had found fellow musicians to play with them. Paul had Eden's cake picked out. Everything was ready, Egon just needed to give Ray a time.

Grace had told Egon this morning that she could pull everyone together and be ready by three o'clock that afternoon. That was only five hours away. Five hours before Eden and him were to be married and he still needed to get his tuxedo that he wanted to wear.

"Ray," Egon said, "it's going to be at three o'clock at Bow Bridge in Central Park with the reception at Cherry Hill right afterwards. Why don't you meet me at my studio apartment at two? You did find a suit to wear didn't you?"

"Yes Egon," Ray replied, "don't worry. I'll be in a suit complete with bow tie."

"Bow tie?" Winston questioned. "You didn't tell me I needed a bow tie Iris."

"Don't worry Winston," Iris said as she laid her head on his shoulder. "I'll make you one and show you how to tie it too."

"Thanks," Winston replied kissing the top of her forehead, "I think."

"Egon! You're alive!"

Egon knew that voice as he looked up the aisle of seats. There she was running towards him, a hand covering her mouth and tears streaming down her face. His mother. What was she doing here?

Egon released Eden and quickly walked up the aisle towards his mother. She had Uncle Cyrus behind her and he was carrying a suitcase. What was going on?

"Oh, son!" Katherine said as she put her arms around Egon and pulled him close to her, the tears freely flowing from her eyes.

"Ouch!" Egon hissed, "Watch the ribs mother."

Katherine released her son and held him at arms length as Cyrus came to stand behind her.

"I'm sorry son," Katherine said.

"What are you doing here?" Egon questioned the pair.

"I'm afraid that is my fault Egon," Charlie said from behind him.

When Egon had gone walking off quickly at the call of his name, Charlie had gotten up to see what the problem was. An older woman was running down the aisle, followed by an older gentleman with receding grey hair and a goatee. Charlie had never met Egon's mother or uncle but knew that it had to be them from their resemblance to Egon. Charlie quickly followed Egon down the aisle and stopped behind him.

Egon turned to face his former student. "I don't understand Charlie?" Egon said.

"Egon," Katherine said as Egon turned back to her, "Doctor Levine called me Saturday morning to tell me what had happened to you. He said that you…" she couldn't continue and broke down in tears.

"Egon," Uncle Cyrus said, as he put the suitcase down and took over talking, "Doctor Levine made it sound like we would be coming to see you in the hospital. I couldn't let Katherine drive all that way upset, so we caught the first Greyhound bus that had room for us and came here. When we stopped by the firehouse the note on the door said that you were here."

"I thought I was coming for your funeral." Katherine said before breaking down again in Egon's arms.

Charlie quickly explained to Egon that he had called his mother Saturday morning to let her know what had happened to her son. He told Egon that he had expected him to still be in the hospital right now too and chastised him for not getting any rest.

Egon smiled at his former student and promised that he would get some rest soon as he introduced Katherine and Uncle Cyrus to Eden, her roommates, and the rest of Egon's friends. Egon left Eden in her roommates' care as he, his mother, and Uncle Cyrus made their way back to his studio apartment.

Once there Katherine made sure that Egon got the rest that he needed as she and Cyrus set about getting ready for her son's wedding. Egon re-laid what had happened to him as they made their way back to his place. Katherine was happy that her son was alive. When Doctor Charlie Levine had called with the dreadful news that her son had died, she could only think of Edison. She had lost her husband way too soon in his lifetime. Now here was Egon, her son, lying in a hospital bed somewhere, she had thought and she felt that she was going to lose him also. In fact, in the bus, on the ride into New York, Katherine had felt that indeed Egon was gone. Cyrus had reassured her that Egon was going to be fine, but she hadn't trusted him until she had gathered Egon into her arms outside the Statue of Liberty.

Something else troubled her as she watched her son sleep. After Egon had told them about meeting his father and what Edison had said about not forgiving his father, Elton, while he was alive for the things that he had done to him and his brother, Cyrus had left. Uncle Cyrus had gone for a walk and would return later he told Katherine. Katherine didn't blame him. She too needed to clear her head. Katherine was fine, alone with Egon in a strange place, but the conversation that she had had with her son returned to her mind again.

"Mother," Egon said to her on the subway ride to his studio apartment, "Father said that you were right."

"About what son?"

"That there is a Heaven."

Katherine sat on the couch as she tried to hold back the tears in her eyes. Edison had been wrong? She had always known him to be correct in everything he did and said. She always knew that there had to be something better after this life. This couldn't be it. You are born, live, and then die. There was nothing else after life, Edison had told her and she had started to believe it after awhile. She was glad that Edison was in a safe and happy place. Egon had told her so from what he could remember of his time spent there. She was also surprised when Egon had commented to her about her 'accident' when he was six and a half years old.

"Mother, I'm so sorry about your miscarriage," Egon told her. "I love you."

How did he know? How did he know that she had been pregnant and was going to have a baby? Neither Cyrus nor Edison had told him about it. They had figured that he was too young and wouldn't have understood. But when Egon told her about witnessing the display between Winston and Iris she understood. The same display had been seen by him between Edison and her and had brought the memory back to the surface. But that is not what was troubling her now. It was what Egon had said to her about Eden.

Egon was worried that Eden would see him as a repeat of Ben and had asked his mother about how he could avoid that on their wedding night. Katherine told Egon that she would give it some thought while he got some rest, but now it was one o'clock. She knew that Egon wanted to be awakened at one-thirty so that he could start to get ready for his wedding but she still didn't have any answers for him yet, only feelings.

The major problem that Katherine saw was that children were being reared without fathers. Somehow there seemed to be in the minds of men that there was no relationship between the begetting of a child and the responsibility for its life thereafter. The burden that fell upon the woman who alone must rear her child, without help, was unbelievably heavy and consuming. Katherine felt that every man who had fathered a child and then abandoned the responsibility for its care should be held accountable before their maker. She knew her son wasn't going to be like this. Edison and her had taught him well. All she could offer her son was her wisdom as she saw Egon stir in his bed.

"Mother? Are you still here?" Egon questioned as he sat up and stretched in bed pushing off the covers.

"Yes," she replied.

Egon's ribs were sore and he ached all over from sleeping on the couch a few hours ago. He ran his hands down the side of his face. He needed a shave also. Reaching over to the nightstand Egon retrieved his glasses and put them on. Someone was missing he noticed. Where was his Uncle Cyrus?

"Mother, where is Uncle Cyrus?" Egon asked swinging his legs out of bed.

"He went out for a walk," Katherine explained. "I'm sure he will be back soon. Egon we need to talk."

"Yes, I know," he answered getting up and crossing to where his mother sat on the couch.

Sitting down next to his mother, Egon offered her his left hand. Katherine took it and smiled up at her son.

"You asked for my advice before you took a nap. I have been thinking that over son." Katherine said. "I don't have first hand experience with this so I am going to give you the feelings of my heart, okay?"

"Okay Mother."

Katherine released a breath trying to put the right words together to convey the feelings that she felt would help her son.

"Egon," she began, "Sexual abuse is a vicious practice that is beyond my understanding. It is an affront to the decency that ought to exist in every man and woman. It is destructive in the lives of those who have to live through it. I believe it is reprehensible and worthy of the most severe condemnation."

"The wicked choices of others cannot completely destroy your agency unless you permit it to do so. Their acts may cause pain, anguish, even physical harm, but they cannot destroy your beliefs. For Eden this is going to be the last step to get over and it isn't going to be easy for her. Egon, son, you must understand that you are free to determine the outcome of the harmful results of abuse that were preformed upon Eden. Your attitude will control the change for good you seek in your life together with Eden. No one can take away your opportunities when you understand and live this."

"With Eden this happened over a year ago. Her roommates got her through a lot of it by allowing Eden to experience her feelings without fear of having them invalidated or dismissed. And you helped her in her deepest, darkest hours. You allowed Eden the ability to talk and tried to understand her needs rather than assuming that others knew best and rushing her to 'get over it'. I would avoid saying phrases such as 'I know how you feel' with Eden. Use phrases such as 'I can only imagine how you feel' instead. Make your focus on Eden, the survivor, and never try to make her do anything that she doesn't feel comfortable with."

"When you find yourselves together tonight it will be the first time for both of you. Don't rush Eden because of your carnal feelings and desires that you need fulfilled. If she is uncomfortable with something you are doing to her, **STOP**! **BACK-OFF **and try something else. Don't criticize her for being where she was at the time, or for not resisting more or screaming for help. Regardless of the circumstances "NO" means "NO" and _**NOBODY**_ deserves to be raped in my book, whether married or not! Do you understand my son!?"

Egon gulped and nodded his head. He understood his mother loud and clear. Place Eden first in his life. Let her direct the way it was going to be in their lovemaking and everything would work itself out in the long run from there. Otherwise Egon knew that his mother would make her wishes known if she ever found out that he was hurting Eden. He had crossed his mother only once as a young teenager and had lived to regret that day. She had never physically hit him or anything like that, it was her words that she had spoken to him that had hit home and made him realize his wrong choice. Just like now. His mother was a wonder to behold. Where his father had knowledge of the workings of everyday things, Egon's mother had a different kind of knowledge. A knowledge of the workings of people. Something Egon was still learning.

"I understand mother," Egon said aloud as he squeezed her hand. "Place Eden first and foremost in our marriage and lovemaking. Let her direct me in that regard and we will both come away happy in the end."

Katherine reached over and placed her left hand on Egon's face. He was so much like his father. That highly intelligent mind of his that could solve a problem quickly but unlike Edison her son was willing to step back and sit at the feet of someone who knew more then he did and learn. Egon would never stop his mind from learning. Always experimenting, trying new things, and listening. He had always been a good listener.

"I love you son," Katherine said kissing Egon before she released him. "Your father would have been so proud of you."

"I know mother," Egon replied.

Egon was in the shower when Cyrus came back. Cyrus paced the small room as Katherine watched him sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of tea.

"Of all the nerve," Cyrus said aloud to himself. "Why did Edison have to place it all on me?"

Katherine knew that Cyrus was upset about his father Elton. Something had happened in his and Edison's young lives that even she didn't know about. Something that they both needed to forgive Elton for. Egon had told Cyrus that Edison had forgiven his father for the wrongs that were done to the boys. Now she knew that Cyrus was trying to do the same thing.

"Let it go Cyrus," Katherine told him as she watched him turn back towards her for the fifth time. "It's over now. Forgive and forget. Please don't do what Edison did and hold it in until the end."

Cyrus stopped pacing and stood before Katherine. "I can't. It's too deep rooted a pain. I don't think I can forgive Elton."

Egon stepped out of the bathroom to hear the last of Uncle Cyrus's words to his mother.

"You have to Uncle Cyrus," Egon replied as he crossed the room with a white towel wrapped around his waist and another one draped around his neck. "If you don't you'll get depressed."

Egon remembered back to what Charlie had told him. "Uncle Cyrus by forgiving Grandfather Elton and letting go of the grudge and bitterness in your life you can have a healthier relationship, gain a greater psychological well-being, have less stress, anxiety, and hostility towards Grandfather Elton and most importantly you'll no longer define your life by how you've been hurt."

"Give Grandfather Elton the benefit of the doubt. He probably didn't mean to harm you and father and was probably just being selfish or self-involved and didn't realize what he was doing at the time."

Cyrus turned to look at Egon narrowing his eyes at him. This wasn't the same nephew that had worked for him just last year. That nephew had wanted things to go his way. Egon had been angry. Angry at everyone and everything for what had happened to him, causing him to move back home. And knowing Egon he wasn't going to forgive very easily either. "Just like me". Cyrus thought. Egon had a brilliant mind. Even more brilliant than his, he dared to admit, but what had happened. The man before him was his nephew and yet wasn't at the same time. Did Eden have anything to do with it? Or maybe his best friend Ray? Maybe Edison did when Egon had died. Whoever had changed Egon's mind had done so in the best way possible. Egon now saw others around him and how his actions affected them.

"I understand nephew," Cyrus said to Egon. "But it isn't easy to forgive."

"I know Uncle Cyrus," Egon replied. "Trust me, I know."

A knock on the door interrupted them all. Ray was here. It was two o'clock.

"Well," his mother said getting up and answering the door, "it looks like it's time to put this show on the road."

"I just wish I could have gotten a different tuxedo to wear," Egon said as Ray entered the studio apartment.

"What's wrong with the black one you own?" Ray asked.

"I just wish it was white for Eden instead," Egon replied as he took the towel off of his shoulders.

"I think I can help you with that," Katherine said as she crossed to the kitchen and retrieved her suitcase that Cyrus had placed there earlier.

Placing it flat on the floor, she opened the latches and lifted the lid. Inside was a neatly folded and pressed white suit Egon could see. Katherine carefully took the hanger and lifted it up and out of the suitcase before she carried it proudly over to her son. Egon recognized the white tuxedo right away. This was his father's tuxedo that he had worn on special occasions when he was alive. Why had his mother brought it with her?

"I brought this for you," Katherine stated seeing his startled expression. "I had thought that I was coming out for your funeral the way that Doctor Levine had talked to me about you. Edison didn't want to be buried in white but I knew that you wouldn't have minded."

"You're right mother," Egon replied. "I wouldn't have."

"But," Katherine continued, "now it can be put to a better use. Your wedding. It would be my honor if you would except this gift from me to you. Make your father proud."

"I will," Egon replied taking the tuxedo from his mother's hands. "Thank you for all you have done for me."

Egon reverently took the tuxedo into the bathroom and closed the door behind him. Hanging it on the hook behind the door Egon stared at it. His father's tuxedo. What a precious gift that his mother had just bestowed upon him. He had always pictured his father at his wedding and couldn't think of any better way to honor him now that he was gone than to wear the same piece of clothing that he had worn when his father had gotten married to his mother.

"I'll make you proud father," Egon said aloud to the empty room.

"I know you will," came the reply inside Egon's head.

Egon smiled. Even though his father wasn't with him in person he was still there in spirit. Edison was watching over him and loving him. Always.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Egon stood in the middle of Bow Bridge waiting for Eden to join him. Next to him was Ray, his best friend, his brother and he would forever be in his debt. Egon smiled at Ray. How alike they were in many ways. They had both overcome depression and suicidal intentions. They had both come back from the dead. They were intertwined with their lives and they both loved each other as two brothers only could.

Helen's harp and Dana's cello music floated up to him from the end of the bridge. They were playing "The Swan" from The Carnival of Animals by Camille Saint-Saens as Eden walked towards him in an ivory colored dress carrying a bouquet of herbs and wildflowers to match the wildflowers and pale green ribbon in her braided hair. Eden's hair was braided from her left ear over the top of her head and down the right side, ending at her breast. Eden's braided hair was an ancient Irish symbol of feminine power and luck.

Iris had made Eden's dress for her. A simple yet classic Celtic style with princess seams, it featured a 'V' neckline and a detachable drop belt. The bodice was embroidered with the Celtic Knot pattern, like his ring, and it echoed on the sleeves, at the elbow, and belt. Eden's sleeve was narrow at the top and then after her elbow ended in a bell look. She was ravenous to behold and Egon felt his heart leap in his chest at the sight of her.

Eden approached him and stood by his side smiling. As Eden turned to face Mr. Pavone, who was going to be officiating at their wedding Egon got a good look at the back of Eden's dress and it took his breath away. Iris was a devilish girl as Egon saw that the back of Eden's dress was laced up and had piped edges in pale green like the ribbon in her hair. The back was open, revealing Eden's beautiful back that he had caught a glimpse of the first of last month at the 'Met' when he was backstage. It was opened about four inches at the top and then continued to narrow down to right past her waist. The ends were held closed with a pale green lace ribbon. Eden knew that Egon's favorite color was pea soup green but he also didn't want her to actually wear that color. The pale green was a compromise he knew and he didn't mind it one bit.

Egon turned to face Mr. Pavone as he asked the couple to join hands. Egon took Eden's right hand in his left one.

Mr. Pavone wasn't an official minister or anything like that.

"In fact," Grace told him when he had gotten to Central Park with Ray, "Paul and I forgot to get a minister. Doctor Venkman pulled some strings with Mayor Clotch and got you your marriage certificate complete with signature. So really you're already married. Mr. Pavone said he would officiate for us to give everyone the sense of a wedding ceremony."

Egon smiled as Mr. Pavone started saying things about love and friendship. But Egon wasn't listening, he was thinking about Grace and Paul. Even Helen and Iris. They were so good for Eden. How could he ever repay them for what they had done for his wife.

Mr. Pavone finished. Now it was Ray's turn as he stepped in front of Egon and Eden and pulled a piece of paper from his suit's breast pocket. Unfolding it Ray read aloud as Mr. Pavone reached into his suit's pocket to produce a pale green ribbon.

"May the road rise up to meet you; May the wind be always at your back; May the sun shine warm upon your face; and the rain fall soft upon your fields; And until we meet again my friend; May God hold you in the palm of his hand." Ray recited as Mr. Pavone took and wound the pale green ribbon around their wrists creating the infinity symbol.

This was an ancient Ireland Celtic tradition called handfasting. It symbolized a man and a woman coming together at the start of their marriage relationship. Each partner held the hand of the other while a ribbon was wound around their wrists. Over the top of one and under and around the other, creating the infinity symbol that Mr. Pavone had just done. The practice had given rise to the expression "tying the knot".

Ray was reciting an Irish reading preformed at weddings from long ago. Usually read by a family member in honor of the couple, Ray was putting his own touch to it. It was more of a personal reading speaking directly to the Egon and Eden.

"May the raindrops fall lightly on your brow; May the soft winds freshen your spirit; May the sunshine brighten your heart; May the burdens of the day rest lightly upon you; And may God enfold you in the mantle of His love."

As Ray read the last stanza Eden joined in with him. It seemed she knew this Irish reading by heart.

"May your mornings bring joy and your evenings bring peace. May your troubles grow few as your blessings increase. May the saddest day of your future be no worse than the happiest day of your past. May your hands be forever clasped in friendship and your hearts joined forever in love. Your lives are very special, God has touched you in many ways. May his blessings rest upon you and fill all your coming days."

Ray folded and returned the paper to his suit pocket as he returned to stand by Egon's right side.

"Beautiful Ray," Egon told his friend. "Thank you."

Ray just smiled as Mr. Pavone pulled a white candle from his pocket. Handing Eden a lighter he offered the candle to her. Eden lit the candle and handed back the lighter as Mr. Pavone asked them to repeat after him.

"We swear by peace and love to stand, Heart to heart and hand to hand. Hark, O Spirit, and hear us now, confirming this our Sacred Vow." Egon and Eden recited together.

Egon knew that this was a vow of unity and considered a poignant part of the Irish ceremony where the couple not only acknowledged the life they will share together but the partnership that is created. He and Eden were to think of themselves no longer as individuals but as a couple, the actions of one affecting the life of the other.

Mr. Pavone talked some more about learning to love and trust in one another but Egon only had eyes and ears for Eden. She was his now. Forever and always. He was lucky to have found her when he did. Eden had his complete trust and love. He would protect her, keep her safe from harm, and even lay down his life if it meant that Eden could go on living. Egon loved Eden with all his heart, mind, and soul. Never would he find another one like her.

"Egon?" Eden questioned.

"Sorry," Egon stammered.

He didn't realize that Mr. Pavone had quit talking.

"Didn't you hear me Doctor Spengler?" Mr. Pavone asked.

"No," Egon replied embarrassed that he had missed something important.

"Well," Mr. Pavone said taking a breath and smiling at him, "you may kiss your bride."

Egon turned to face Eden her face all aglow. Egon leaned in to kiss Eden on her lips as everyone clapped. When they parted Eden started to say. "Egon, remember this…"

"I love you." Egon and Eden said together.

Eden giggled. It seemed that this was going to be their very own special phrase as Eden leaned over and kissed her husband once again.


	23. Epilogue

Note: This Epilogue is for mature readers only. Enjoy!

Epilogue

"What did you get yourself into Eden Lynn Spengler," she silently said to herself as she leaned on her husband for support walking down the knee deep snowy road.

Tripping over her long dress Eden almost fell face first into the snow but her husband caught her just in time.

"You Okay?" Egon asked as he held Eden upright.

Egon was worried about his wife. She shouldn't be here but they had no choice. He had gotten them lost when Ray had taken a right turn back at the crossroad because Egon had told him to do so.

"Don't you even know how to read a map Egon," Ray grumbled as they had gone further and further down the snowy road.

"Yes, I know how to read a map. Do you know how to drive in the snow Ray?" Egon had retorted back, sitting next to Ray in the passenger seat.

Eden's startled cry from the backseat had stopped both men's battle of words. Egon had unbuckled his seatbelt and had climbed over the seat when he turned around and saw Eden's pale, pain ridden face. Something was wrong.

What was wrong, Egon had found out, was that Eden was in labor. She was going to have their first child and from the timing of her contractions it was going to be soon.

Now here he stood, knee deep in snow beside his wife, trying to comfort her as best as he could under the circumstances.

"Do you think I'm okay?" Eden replied as she tried to remain calm.

"No," Egon replied back stepping in front of her. "I'm sorry I got you into this."

Eden looked up into her husband's face. It wasn't his fault that she was here. It was just bad timing all around.

Eden remembered back to when it had all started. On the first of December Eden's friend from her college days had called her. He was directing a musical in Central Pennsylvania and needed her help.

"Eden," Dan said, "my leading lady in "Children of Eden" that I am directing had to bow out at the last moment. I know that you sang the part of Eve when we were in college together. Can you help me out? We open in a week."

"Dan," Eden replied sitting on the corner of Janine's desk downstairs in the firehouse. "I haven't sung in a musical since my senior year in college. I sing opera now and I'm also 8 ½ months pregnant."

"That's fine that you're pregnant," Dan replied. "It would work great with the story plot. As far as opera singing, musicals are a lot easier you know. There's dialogue in-between the musical numbers and you would only have to be on stage for the first act. I have someone else singing the part of Noah's wife. Usually the actress that sings Eve's part does that so don't worry there."

"Can I talk it over with my husband and the 'Met' first?"

"Sure. I'll call you tomorrow. Please give it some careful thought. I can pay you and put you up too Eden."

Eden talked to Egon about it that afternoon when he came home from Columbia University. He had agreed if she could get the time off from the 'Met'. When Eden called and talked to James Levine he agreed to give her the time off that she needed.

"You are going to be having that baby soon anyways so take as much time as you need. Let us know when you feel that you can come back. You are always welcome here Eden," Mr. Levine told her.

Egon had taken Dean Williams' advice and had stayed on teaching at the University. Egon taught classes Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings. Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturdays Egon spent at the firehouse with his fellow teammates. Sunday was spent with Eden.

Even though they had defeated Vigo the city was still plagued with ghost sightings that the "Ghostbusters" would have to go and deal with. Egon enjoyed working with his friends but would put his wife first in the evenings. In the years' time that Egon and Eden had been married a lot of changes had happened.

Doctor Charlie Levine had become Chief Psychiatrist at Parkview Medical Hospital and had changed the place around. The first thing that he did was to paint the walls a light green color instead of the 'prison-gray' that they had been. The hospital had new policies in place when there was a changing of the staff in the mornings and evenings. 'Suicide watch' cases were written up on a board so that everyone knew what was going on. Since this policy when into effect the hospital had no more patients trying to kill themselves. Samantha had been released from Columbia University Medical Center a week after her attempted suicide. While she still attended Charlie's suicide prevention classes, she was getting along rather well in public and was now a senior in High School graduating with a 4.0 average. Ray had attended Greg's funeral along with Charlie, Egon, and Eden. Greg's mother had commented to Ray, after the funeral, how he had been Greg's only friend that he spoke of to her and thanked him for his kindness.

Ray had moved back into the family home that his parents had left him in the Bronx with his sister Jean and her daughter. Shortly thereafter Jean had gone into labor and delivered her second child, a boy. Ray had been there by her side as Jean had delivered the baby in the back of the ambulance on the way to the local hospital. Ray couldn't have been prouder to be an Uncle again. He had even joined a local musical group and played his clarinet with them at night.

Peter and Dana were living together and there was talk of them getting married next year. Peter even wanted to adopt Oscar and be his real father. Dana had auditioned and gotten in with the New York Philharmonics Orchestra again. She became the principal cellist only after three short months. This was something Dana had been looking forward to for years.

Janine and Louis had gotten married after Janine had born Louis a girl. No one even knew that Janine was pregnant. She hadn't told anyone what had transpired on Peter's couch that night when she was supposed to be babysitting with Louis. Dana knew. She had caught them but hadn't said anything to anyone. The "Ghostbusters" found out about it when Janine started showing. She had delivered her baby girl a month early, at the firehouse, with Egon's help as Louis had passed out after seeing Janine's water break. They named the baby Autumn and were very happy.

Winston was dating Iris and she had moved into Egon's studio apartment. All of Eden's old roommates had left the place that she had lived in and it only made sense for Iris to move to a smaller place. Eden still saw Iris when she went to work at the 'Met' but the talk was that Iris wanted to design more wedding gowns full time and would likely be leaving the 'Met' sometime next year.

Egon and Eden had moved into the firehouse when Iris took over Egon's old place. Egon had fixed up his lab into a bedroom for Eden. She didn't mind the cramped quarters because after all it was just a place to lie down at night. She didn't need anything fancy. Both Egon and Eden were trying to save money so that they could buy a house in New Jersey. Eden wanted a house to raise her children in and a yard to go with it too. New Jersey was the obvious choice when they had gone looking around the tri-state area. She hoped that in three to four years time that they could move. Also Helen and Kin had moved to New Jersey and loved it there.

Helen and Kin had moved to Essex Fells, New Jersey and Helen now played for the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra in Newark. Kin was still active in the military and would get called to go with his unit from time to time.

Paul and Grace had gotten married in February of last year, right after her own wedding, and had moved into their own place. They both still worked at St. Luke's Hospital with Grace still playing her viola at night at the 'Met'. Paul was Eden's doctor for her pregnancy too. Eden hadn't trusted going to see an OB/GYN because of her history and only trusted Doctor Stringham to help her through this pregnancy because her last two had ended in miscarriages.

This was not counting the one pregnancy of Ben's. Eden had gotten pregnant in February right after she had gotten married to Egon and also after Paul and Grace's wedding. That was also when Egon had fallen sick. Egon's ribs were still healing and so when he had symptoms of chest pain with breathing, coughing fits, and shortness of breath towards the end of January he hadn't given it any thought. Egon thought he had the flu in February when his cough had worsened and he fell sick with a high fever of 102 degrees with chills, headache, muscle pain, and fatigue.

On Egon's recheck appointment with Charlie that week, Charlie ordered a radiograph of Egon's chest to see if his ribs were healing. The radiograph showed that Egon's ribs were healing fine but it also showed that Egon had pneumonia.

"Pneumonia often mimics the flu," Charlie said as he placed a hospital band onto Egon's left hand. "It begins with a cough and a fever, so you may not even realize you have a serious condition until it is too late. Yours has become life-threatening Egon and I need to admit you to the hospital for treatment."

Eden had just found out that she was pregnant when Egon was admitted into the hospital.

"Because of Egon's cracked ribs and trouble breathing he could possibly come to a point where mechanical assistance would be required," Charlie had informed Eden. "I want him here at the hospital if that happens."

Eden knew what Doctor Levine had meant. Egon would need an endotracheal tube and a ventilator to help him breathe if things got worse. But thankfully things didn't get worse for her husband. Egon responded well to the intravenous antibiotics that Charlie had given him but the stress of the whole situation had caused Eden to lose their first child. Egon had found out about it when he was released from the hospital two weeks later. Egon still had another four weeks to go before he would totally recover Charlie had told him, so when Egon woke up in the middle of the night coughing he had noticed that Eden wasn't doing well.

Pulling back the covers Egon noticed blood down Eden's legs and in their bed. He had promptly picked her up and had carried her to the bathroom and had drawn a bath for her while he phoned Doctor Stringham. Paul and Grace had come over at two in the morning to confirm what he had suspected. Eden had miscarried the baby.

After two months of grieving, where Egon maintained his distance from her in bed, Eden had finally invited him in. She loved him even more for giving her the time that she needed to grieve and yet still feel loved, even if they didn't do anything but hold each other in bed. That was what Eden had needed. She knew that Egon wanted to love her but she hadn't felt like she could do that so soon after losing another child. When they finally made love it was like the first time after they had gotten married.

Egon was gentle and responsive to Eden's needs. Everything he did was to please her. If she cried out in pain Egon had stopped what he was doing and had backed off, letting her direct him in the ways that made her feel comfortable. Egon was a wonder to behold in these times. Eden knew that Egon had carnal feelings and would have loved to have his way with her but he never did. Letting her lead the way in everything they did in bed. Eventually Eden found herself pregnant again but only for a short time.

After finding out that she had missed her menstrual cycle she had gone to see Doctor Stringham. Doctor Stringham, with Grace by his side, had preformed an exam only to be concerned that something wasn't right. Egon had been called to come to St. Luke's Hospital from Columbia University so that he could be by Eden's side during her pelvic ultrasound. Doctor Stringham's worst fears were realized as the pelvic ultrasound was preformed. Eden was indeed pregnant but the embryo had no heartbeat. Eden had lost another child.

Eden didn't know what to feel with this loss. She had found out that she was pregnant and had lost the child all within a small fraction of time. Egon held her close that night as she cried into his shoulder after Doctor Stringham had sent her home to miscarry in the privacy of her own surroundings. Two days later Eden had started spotting and on the third day she had miscarried with Egon by her side every step of the way. Eden didn't want to try again and Egon once again maintained his distance in bed. But with Egon's gentle loving and encouragement Eden had invited him into her once again. This time they had succeeded and Eden had carried their child beyond that cursed eight week mark.

That is how Eden came to be here in Central Pennsylvania, pregnant, in the snow, and about to give birth.

"Egon," Eden said, "it's not your fa…" she cried out as a contraction racked her body.

Trying to remain calm Eden closed her eyes and looked up at the sky. "Breathe" she told herself as she took a deep breath, held it and released it slowly. Suddenly something felt wrong with her body. She opened her eyes wide and looked her husband in the face.

Egon saw the pain and frightened look in Eden's face. Something was wrong and she didn't know what it was. Where was Ray when he needed him? Ray had gone ahead to open the cabin and start a fire for them. Eden's contractions were coming every three to four minutes and were lasting 60 to 90 seconds in length. Eden suddenly gasped as her amniotic sac ruptured covering the snow under her a blood-tinged color. This was it. Egon looked around for Ray as he supported Eden and got her moving again.

Walking through the snow Egon reflected back to a week before this. He had let Eden go out first to be in her friend's musical. As soon as classes were out for the winter break Egon had joined her. Eden had traveled by bus as Egon didn't want her driving the long distance with her being so far along in her pregnancy. Egon had joined her for the last two weeks of performances but they had decided together that the bus ride home wasn't going to happen. Eden had stated to Egon that she had a tough time on the bus because of the tight cramped quarters and would have loved to just lie down instead. Egon had called Ray who had come out on the bus to see Eden on the last day of her performance as Eve. Ray had rented a station wagon when he had gotten there to drive them all home in.

Staying overnight at Dan's house the trio had started out the next morning, Christmas Eve, so that they could be home in time for Christmas. That was until the snow had started to fall and Egon not being familiar with the state had told Ray the wrong way to go looking at the map that he thought was of Pennsylvania. Only when they were traveling down an unfamiliar road did Egon realize that he had a map of New York State opened in front of him. That was the only time Eden had heard him curse dropping the "S" word as he blamed himself for getting them lost.

Ray saw a sign that he knew when Egon had climbed into the backseat with Eden. The sign read: Camp Wauconda Boy Scout Camp five miles ahead.

"Egon!" Ray exclaimed, "I know where we are! It's Camp Wauconda and the cabins are right off of the road when you turn in. If Eden can hold out she can have her baby there."

Eden had been able to "hold out" as Ray called it until Ray got to the turn off for the Boy Scout Camp. Driving the car as far in as he could go Ray finally stopped the station wagon when it got stuck in the deep snow. Ray had walked ahead of them as quickly as he could to open the cabin door with the wrench in the trunk that you were supposed to use to take the wheel off of the car. Ray was going to be using it to pry the deadbolt lock off of the cabin door instead. Ray needed to start a fire in the fireplace so that Eden and the baby could be warm.

Egon continued down the path, the snow whipping around him. He could just make out the cabin over the top of the ridge. "Not that far to go" Egon told himself. Eden cried out again and stopped moving. Another contraction had come. Standing beside her as she tried to squat in the snow Egon ran a hand down her back.

"Easy Eden," Egon spoke softly to her, "just breathe. In. Out."

Eden held onto her husband and closed her eyes. Listening to his voice and feeling his hand on her back helped her through the pain. She didn't know if she was going to make it as she opened her eyes once again now that the contraction had subsided. She knew that she needed to get inside and soon. Her legs were wet and the fluid was starting to freeze on them. She really should never have put on the ankle length dress that morning but she had figured that she would be sleeping in the car right now, not going for a hike in the snow.

"Ready?" Egon asked her when he realized that her contraction had stopped.

"Yes," she replied, "but we better hurry. I am getting cold and my legs are starting to get frozen."

Egon knew what that meant. Hypothermia. Eden had become wet when her water broke. Now she was starting to shiver in front of him. Egon needed to get her into the cabin and next to the fireplace now. Egon started walking again as he heard Ray calling to him.

"Egon," Ray called from somewhere in front of him, "it's not far now and I have a fire going."

Egon continued walking, helping Eden along, until Ray stood before him. Eden stopped once again because of a contraction but this time it was different. Looking Ray's way Egon saw that the cabin porch was only a couple of feet away. If he could only get Eden moving again they would be okay but Eden wasn't going anywhere.

"Egon," she cried out, "I can feel the baby."

"Eden I'm sorry about this," Egon said to her as he quickly reached under her dress with his hand and pulled her wet underwear to the side.

Egon felt what he feared. The baby's head was crowning, yet there was something wrong with what he was feeling.

"Egon!" Ray cried out. "What are you doing?!"

Egon removed his hand and picked up Eden to carry her the last couple of feet as he replied to Ray's outburst.

"Oh, please, Raymond. You walked in on us procreating this child and now you're embarrassed."

"Don't remind me," Ray called to his friend as he followed Egon.

Ray thought back to the day he had accidentally walked in on his friend when he and Eden were in bed together, procreating as Egon had put it, the child that Eden was now about to have. Watching Egon carry Eden over to the front of the fireplace, as Ray stood in the doorway, he remembered all too well what he had seen.

Ray had arrived at the firehouse early on a Sunday morning around Easter time. He had two lilies with him. One for Janine and one for Eden. The firehouse had been quiet, too quiet. Ray was supposed to meet Janine, Louis, Egon, and Eden for Sunday morning breakfast. Going upstairs to Egon's lab, where Egon and Eden had their bed, Ray had opened the door and had seen the two of them stark naked in bed together.

Ray had cried out in surprise, slammed the door, and retreated back down the stairs to hide in Peter's office. He felt like he had defiled his relationship with Egon and that Egon would never speak to him again. Much to his surprise Egon had come to find him a few minutes later. As Ray tried to explain Egon had waved his hand to silence him as he took Ray into his arms.

"You're forgiven Raymond," Egon told him and then released him.

Ray knew what Egon was saying to him. It wasn't like he hadn't seen Egon with any clothes on before. They had lived together for awhile when Egon had first moved back to the city but this was different. There were no hard feelings or grudges being held against Ray for walking in on the pair. It was simply an accident that no one would speak of again.

Eden's cry brought Ray back to the present as he crossed the threshold and closed the cabin door. Egon had been in the middle of taking Eden's soaked dress off of her when another contraction hit. Eden was being held by her husband as she squatted in front of the fireplace with only a bandeau bra on and a pair of hipster underwear.

Ray removed his winter coat and placed it on the back of the couch as he crossed to where Eden and his friend were. Pulling off his dark blue Henley shirt, Ray handed it to Egon who nodded his thanks. Eden was cold and they needed to warm her up if she was going to deliver this baby safely.

As soon as Eden released her hold on him Egon placed Ray's Henley shirt over her head and then removed his own overcoat and placed it across her shoulders. He had seen Ray disappear when he had done this into the other room and felt that it was the best time to remove Eden's wet underwear so that Ray didn't have to see him doing so. He still needed to see what had felt wrong under his hand when he had reached up Eden's dress but he needed Ray to support her so that he could do so.

"Ray!" Egon cried into the next room.

"Coming Egon," Ray replied back as he appeared in the doorway with two blankets. "I remembered where they kept the blankets Egon. I figured we were going to need them. Even in the summer the nights could get cold when I stayed here."

"Egon!" Eden cried again as she grabbed for her husband's shoulders.

Egon could see that she was starting to panic.

"Eden," Egon stated calmly to her, "relax. Close your eyes and listen to your body."

"I can't!" She wailed back as she dug her fingers into Egon's shoulders.

Eden's grasp hurt him but he couldn't show her anything but a calm, relaxed atmosphere right now. Egon took his hand and turned Eden's downcast, pain ridden face up towards his.

"Yes, you can Eden," Egon spoke softly so that Eden had to strain to hear him. "We've read all the books; we've attended all the classes. Just close your eyes and listen to your body. It will tell you what to do. Trust me."

Eden did trust her husband. Egon had never once done anything that would put her in harm's way. He had been by her side and hadn't run away when she told him about how she had been sexually abused. When she had miscarried their first two children he had never criticized or made her feel small or undesirable. In fact it was just the opposite. Egon wanted her more, desired her more each day. Eden closed her eyes and blocked out the world around her. Just like when she would psych herself out for La Boheme, Eden let her mind go blank. She listened to her body as she felt Egon's gentle rubbing on her back. Something told her that she couldn't deliver the baby this way, trying to squat in front of her husband holding onto him for support. She needed to be with her back to him, but who would support her then?

"Egon," Eden said opening her eyes, "I need to change positions."

"Do what you think is best Eden," Egon said kissing her on the lips. "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

Eden released Egon and carefully stood up. Turning around Eden saw Ray standing behind the couch. That's what she needed.

"Ray could you move the couch over here please?" Eden asked.

Ray dropped the blankets onto the couch as he slid the piece of furniture across the room and closer to the fireplace.

"Do you want to lay down Eden?" Ray asked as he stopped the couch in front of her.

"Sort of," she replied, "but I need your help."

"Anything," Ray replied.

"Do you mind sitting on the couch in front of me and being my support team member?"

"No. Not at all. I'm good at hand holding. Just ask my sister."

Handing Egon the blankets, Ray climbed over the back of the couch and sat down facing Eden. Eden knew that she needed to be quick before Ray changed his mind. Placing her hands on Ray's shoulders Eden kneeled down in front of him and laid her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes as a contraction hit.

"Egon!" Ray cried as his eyes went wide.

"Support her!" Egon cried to his friend as he bent down behind Eden.

Egon knew that Eden felt that she needed to be in this position for a reason. Egon saw Ray place his hands around Eden's upper body to support her and started to rub her back to comfort her. Egon picked up the end of his overcoat and flipped it over Eden's back. As he looked under her to see if he could see his child's body he was greeted to a surprise.

"Shit!" Egon said to himself.

Egon saw his child's body alright but what he had felt wasn't the baby's head, it was the baby's buttocks. Eden's child was breech.

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Egon placed a hand onto Eden's bird of paradise flower tattooed to her left cheek.

"Think Egon," he told himself quietly. "What did they say about a breech birth again?"

"Egon what's wrong?" Eden cried kneeling down in front of Ray trying to breathe through another contraction.

He couldn't lie to her. Eden had a right to know.

"Eden," Egon quietly told her, "the baby's breech."

"NO!" Ray shouted at Egon. "Eden needs to be in a hospital right now and seeing a doctor for this!"

"Ray," Eden's voice came into his ear, her face that close. "I AM seeing a doctor. Let Egon work. I trust him."

Ray went to open his mouth but then shut it again as he looked Egon's way. Egon was concentrating on something he could tell. He had seen that look on Egon's face many times before when they were working on projects together. Egon was trying to come up with a solution to the problem at hand. Egon's face suddenly changed from worry to relaxed. Egon smiled. He had figured it out.

"Eden," Egon spoke quietly, "close your eyes for the time being. Listen to your body and I will help our child into this world. You can do this. If you feel the need to bear down do so. Let your body tell you what to do. Trust it. You can do this."

"I trust you Egon," she replied as she closed her eyes and hung onto Ray's shoulders.

Egon had remembered what the midwife giving the birthing class had said.

"If you ever come across yourself in a breech birth position, remember one thing. Hands off! If you try and force the baby out or touch it the wrong way you can cause trauma. Let the mother direct her body in this birth. The body always knows what to do even if we don't."

Egon knew now what he had to do. Eden had adopted a hands and knees position for the delivery of this child. This was the best position for mother, baby, and deliverer the midwife had said.

"When the mother is on her hands and knees the uterus will appear horizontal and tipped forward. If the woman is standing while delivering a breech baby the birth can be too swift and the placenta can separate too quickly."

Egon watched his child's buttocks for advancement through the next few contractions. Each contraction brought the baby further and further out of Eden's body. Keeping his hands to himself, Egon could now see the baby's knees as the extended legs of Eden's frank breech positioned baby suddenly flopped out. Egon moved his hand from Eden's buttock to place it on her perineum as the baby worked its way down the birth canal.

Shortly thereafter the arms were delivered as Egon elevated the baby's body gently towards Eden's back to deliver the mouth, nose, brow, and crown of the head. Egon was glad that he had done this as Eden fell down onto her buttocks, spent from the labor of delivery.

"Eden," Egon said reverently, "it's a girl."

Egon wrapped his baby girl into the blanket that Ray had given him earlier as he sat on the ground and Eden turned around to sit next to him. This was an end and a beginning of something beautiful that they had created. A culmination of nine months of physical, emotional, and spiritual preparation for the birth of Eden's child was now at a close. But it also opened up a new world for Egon. It was the beginning of a life with children. The birth of his daughter was a transition from one stage of their lives together to another. Egon saw Eden in a whole new way now as they both held the tiny infant in their arms.

Egon looked into Eden's warm, glowing face as she traced her finger over her new baby. She amazed him. Eden was an incredibly focused and powerful woman. The power of her giving birth amazed him. Labor, which was an intense time of hard work, impressed upon Egon that there was no greater work than that of bringing a new life into the world. He had an incomplete view of what it meant to be a mother until now.

Sure Egon had fears before this, like any man would, of holding his baby. His child. That all melted away into joy at the touch of her new skin against his when he had delivered the baby. Eden and Egon had experienced the joy together. First by making her and then in the delivery of her and it strengthened the bond of his marriage to Eden. It was a privilege to attend and deliver his wife's baby. The birth had been unique, a life experience, that was shared by husband and wife, mother and father, as they grew not only a baby, but a family. Seeing his wife give into this powerful maternal act called childbirth Egon was speechless. She had done it. Eden was a mother.

Eden looked up at her husband. The pain was gone now. Even though it was a natural pain, meant to happen for a reason, it was still pain. Eden had kept positive and reminded herself of the birth affirmations which she had read in class.

-My body knows how to give birth-

-I'm strong and powerful-

-The work I'm doing is important-

-Women have been doing this work forever-

Childbirth was normal. It wasn't a disease that needed to be treated. Labor was normal and Eden had found that the walk to the cabin had helped her greatly. She remembered when her body had told her what to do and was amazed by how different it felt to be on her hands and knees compared to squatting in front of her husband. She had felt so much more open holding onto Ray through her contractions. It had been hard work to delivery her baby. Ray had been there whispering into her ear words of encouragement.

"Yes, you can do it Eden."

"Just a little bit more."

"Good."

"Excellent."

Eden had pushed when her body told her too. She had felt that baby's buttocks come out followed by its legs. How exciting that had been! It felt so great to be in a position that was working to get her baby born. After that Eden had felt a need to wait. She took deep breaths and built up more energy for what was to come. With the next contraction she pushed out her baby girl's torso and felt the arms drop out too. Her body told her to wait now as she felt Egon take the baby's weight off of her. Egon must have placed the baby onto his arm because as the next contraction came she could feel the head come out as Egon lifted the baby up and over to deliver her. She remembered crying out at the end as that was the last hugest push that she had ever done. But now it was over. She had done it! She had birthed her baby all by herself! And she knew that Egon was proud of her.

Egon smiled at Eden and looked back into the baby's face. She was beautiful with a full head of light brown hair and deep blue eyes. Egon furled his brow. Somewhere he had seen this face before, but where?

"Wow!" Ray said still sitting on the couch. "Egon she's beautiful and she's your daughter!"

Egon looked up at Ray shocked. That was it! The eyes were different but the face was the same. It was the face of the young girl he had seen when he had died and had been sent to his father. Here was the girl that his father had asked for his help with. That was what his father had meant to say to him when he had asked! Not she's your sister as Ray had demised. She was Eden's daughter alright. Egon had been correct in that regard but she was his daughter.

"Ray!" Egon replied. "Now I know what my father meant to say. It wasn't my sister he meant it was she's your daughter!"

Edison smiled at his son watching him from above. Egon had done it. He had brought his first child into the world. The promise that Eli and him had made to the young girl had now been fulfilled. Edison was free to move on. Echo Eddington Spengler was now on earth.


End file.
